Xcel Energy is blaming chemicals used to keep roads clear of snow for outages that left up to 23,000 people in Colorado without power and heat.
The company says emergency crews had to put out utility pole fires and clear downed power lines across the Denver metro area due to strong winds during a snowstorm on Tuesday.
The company told KUSA-TV dirt and magnesium chloride kicked by cars on the road piles up on power lines and can cause electricity jump to the wood pole, catching it on fire.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
NAIC Victim of Cyber Incident Via PeopleSoft System 
Bayer’s Supreme Court Win in Roundup Case No ‘Silver Bullet’ 
Ship Insurers Set for Major Claims From Iran War, Allianz Says 
Florida-Based Safepoint Withdraws IPO Just as it Was Expected to Launch 
