With a near 100-degree day forecast, Xcel Energy is asking Denverites to reduce energy consumption.
The request was issued following two power outages.
The first affected just under 25,000 Xcel customers beginning at 2:51 a.m. Power was restored to all the households by 4:59 a.m., according to Mark Stutz, Xcel spokesman.
Stutz said a second outage hit the same area later this morning, affecting about 12,300 customers between 9:58 a.m. to 10:46 a.m.
Because of the outages, Xcel has asked that customers in an area bordered by Havana Street on the east, Santa Fe Drive on the west, Interstate 70 on the north and Alameda Avenue on the south conserve energy throughout the day — primarily from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Stutz said the conservation request was issued because Xcel is not sure what caused the early morning outage.
“It may have been some kind of transmission event but it could have been a dozen things,” said Stutz.
The two outages hit an area from Sixth Avenue on the north to Alameda Avenue on the south and Santa Fe Drive on the west to Peoria Street on the east.
Stutz said that the June 7 explosion and fire at the Harrison substation plus the high temperatures are placing a strain on the power system.
He said that self-contained temporary substation has been placed at the Harrison Street site along with a temporary transformer. They are operating at 80- to 85-percent of the capacity normally produced at Harrison street.
Because many office buildings and business complexes heated up over the hot weekend, a high demand for energy is expected today in downtown Denver and outlying business centers, Stutz said.
By asking customers to conserve energy throughout the day, Xcel is trying to prevent controlled outages.
Businesses are asked to reduce lighting and cooling. Homeowners are requested to put off using appliances such as dishwashers and clothes washing machines until later this evening and to cut back on air conditioning. He said it would be helpful if people have a cold meal tonight.
The National Weather Service said this afternoon that although temperatures were relatively cool through the morning, the morning clouds were expected to give way to more sunshine and hotter temperatures in the late afternoon rising to the upper 90s.
The high today in Denver is forecast to be 97 with the low tonight dropping to 65.
There is a 10 percent chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms especially in areas east of Fort Morgan..
The record high temperature in Denver for July 19 was 101 set in 2005.
Temperatures to the west of Denver will be much cooler.
The high in Fairplay is predicted to be 75; Aspen, 82; Georgetown, 70.
The National Weather Service said there should be a cooling trend on Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures below the seasonal norm.
The high in Denver on Tuesday is predicted to be 90 and 84 on Wednesday.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
