A major power outage has plunged southeast Denver into darkness, affecting thousands of residents and critical infrastructure. This widespread blackout, confirmed by Xcel Energy, has left many in the dark and sparked concern across the region.
The outage began on Sunday afternoon, with residents reporting widespread power cuts. Xcel Energy's representative acknowledged the issue, stating that it originated at one of their substations. They assured the public that repair crews were on-site, working diligently to identify the cause and restore power. However, the scale of the outage soon became apparent, with multiple substations involved, leading to a much larger impact than initially anticipated.
But here's where it gets controversial... Denver International Airport, a vital hub, was also affected, causing disruptions to train operations. The airport is working to restore power, but the impact on travel and operations is significant.
Xcel Energy reported that approximately 148,000 of their customers experienced the outage, with an estimated 40,000 still without power as of 4:45 p.m. CORE Electric, serving Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert counties, also reported a substantial number of affected customers, with over 140,000 initially impacted.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office received numerous calls regarding the outages and urged residents to reserve 911 for emergencies only. The Parker Police Department also faced challenges, with both emergency and non-emergency lines temporarily out of service.
And this is the part most people miss... Aurora 911 was briefly affected, highlighting the far-reaching impact of this outage.
As this story continues to unfold, we'll provide updates as they come in. Stay tuned for more information and insights into this developing power crisis.
