Xcel Energy is advising customers who are eager to start their spring planting or landscaping to always call 8-1-1 to have underground utility lines marked free of charge before starting any digging projects. Underground utility lines include electric, natural gas, water and cable.
April is National Safe Digging Month, which serves as a reminder that digging without locating utility lines causes injuries, loss of life, and property damage every year. This damage can also lead to outages and fines.
In 2025, the company documented 4 incidents of damage to its underground electric infrastructure in Texas and New Mexico as a result of digging without locates.
“Our crews safely maintain an extensive network of underground electric utility lines that serve the homes and businesses that make up our communities,” said Casey Meeks, Xcel Energy regional vice president of distribution operations. “Digging projects pose the greatest risk to our infrastructure, threatening our ability to reliably deliver the energy our customers depend on every day. That’s why we want to remind the public to call for locates before starting any digging project.”
• In Texas, homeowners and contractors should call 8-1-1 or submit an online request to Texas 811 at least two business days before starting a project.
• In New Mexico, homeowners and contractors should call 8-1-1 or submit an online request to NM 811 at least two days before starting a project.
Every digging project requires a call, regardless of whether the project is big or small. No matter whether you’re installing a mailbox post, building a deck, or planting a tree, these projects require a call to 8-1-1.
811 will notify the right utility companies of the caller’s intent to dig. At no charge, professional locators will mark the locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both. Depth of utility lines can change over time because of storms and soil condition.
Customers should contact a private locator company to find lines not owned by a utility. Examples of these include lines installed by a homeowner to heat a pool, light a garage or install a gas grill.
Safe digging tips
• Always call 811 before you dig. It’s the law.
• Depth can be deceptive.
Depth of utility lines can change over time with erosion, storms, floods, soil condition, heaving in winter from frost, and changes to landscaping.
• What you don’t know can hurt you. Even if you’ve lived in your home for 30 years, things can and do change in your yard.
• Hand digging. Before you can work near an underground utility line, you must first hand-dig to expose the line and verify its location and depth.
• Does it smell like rotten eggs? If you damage a natural gas line and notice a sulfur or rotten egglike smell, move quickly away from the area. Once safely away, call 911 first, then your gas utility company to investigate and repair.
Learn more about Xcel Energy’s safe digging efforts.