Wildfire Dangers Force Utility to Pull the Plug
Power went dark for thousands across the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico on March 14, but this time, it wasn't just the storm to blame. Xcel Energy took an extraordinary step: shutting off electricity on purpose, way before flames even arrived. About 17,000 customers woke up to switched-off lights and a reminder that when the risk of wildfire spikes, losing power is the lesser evil.
Utility leaders wrestled with the decision. Adrian Rodriguez, Xcel’s New Mexico and Texas president, called the measure a last resort. But with weather experts warning of wind gusts shooting past 60 mph—enough to snap trees and toss debris—paired with bone-dry air and brittle grass, another massive wildfire seemed only a spark away. Flames powered by similar conditions had already ravaged the Panhandle just weeks earlier.
The logic of a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is straightforward on paper: you can’t have a downed power line starting a grass fire if the line isn’t energized. It’s a tactic California residents know well, but it’s a rare one for this region, highlighting just how intense this drought-driven wildfire threat has become.
Rapid Response and Power Restoration Efforts
Mother Nature didn’t stop with fire risk. Raging winds hammered Xcel’s infrastructure, tearing down lines and knocking out service for far more than those covered by the planned shutoff. By late afternoon, the number of affected homes and businesses swelled to 65,000, many not part of the original safety shutoff at all. For crews, it was a two-front battle: prevent a crisis and fix the damage already done.
Repair teams from Colorado rolled in to bolster local forces, and the approach went hi-tech. Helicopters scanned wide swathes, and drones zipped over hard-to-reach spots to speed up inspections. Xcel’s staff crisscrossed devastated stretches, piecing together torn-up lines the moment winds let up. Their efforts paid off quickly for most. By the evening of March 15, power was back for 90% of those affected. Urban hubs like Lubbock and Seminole were mostly in the clear, but outages lingered for about 4,500 customers, especially in isolated rural areas where towers and lines faced the brunt of the storm and crews had to travel long distances on challenging terrain.
Restoration timelines varied. Urban areas were largely looking at lights-on by the end of March 16, but for the hardest-hit rural stretches, full repair was expected by March 17. For rural ranchers and farm owners, another day or two in the dark was tough, but most seemed to understand the stakes when wildfire risk makes the grid itself a potential enemy.
This round of outages, both planned and unplanned, is one more sign that extreme weather—especially the mix of drought and strong winds—forces power companies to choose between two tough options: deal with blackouts, or risk being the unwitting spark for the next big blaze. While turning off the grid isn’t a simple or popular choice, it beats devastation and loss. For many Texans and New Mexicans, it’s a new reality that may repeat as long as weather patterns stay fierce and landscapes stay parched.