Two weeks after a vast power shut-off that it acknowledged it had mishandled, California’s largest utility said Wednesday that it would begin cutting electricity to 179,000 customers later in the day in the face of a new wildfire threat. Areas of Kern and San Mateo counties were scheduled to lose power overnight. The company said that the peak winds should abate by noon Thursday, and that it aimed to restore power to most customers within 48 hours. PG&E’s equipment has been blamed in the last few years for some of California’s most devastating wildfires, and the power shut-off is meant to reduce the fire hazard. The blackout strategy, which the utilities use as part of their wildfire prevention programs, is a response to the threat of severe weather conditions that have heightened fire risk across California.

Source: New York Times October 23, 2019 17:08 UTC