PG&E Warns of Biggest Blackout Ever as Windstorm Approaches

(Bloomberg) -- PG&E Corp. warned it will shut off power again on Saturday to as many as 2.5 million people as violent winds batter the state -- in what will be California’s largest intentional blackout ever.

The outages will impact up to 850,000 homes and businesses in Northern California, including parts of Oakland, Berkeley and other cities, PG&E said in a statement Friday. With wind gusts up to 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour forecast through Monday, much of the region could be without power for days. San Francisco, however, will be spared.

“The upcoming wind event has the potential to be one of the strongest in the last several years,” PG&E’s principal meteorologist Scott Strenfel said in the statement.

It will be the third time this month PG&E has resorted to massive outages to prevent its power lines from sparking fires in high winds. The strategy comes after its equipment sparked blazes in 2017 and 2018, saddling the company with an estimated $30 billion in liabilities and forcing it into bankruptcy. Leaving millions in the dark, however, has led to debate over how far California must go to prevent fires during windstorms. And despite the shutoffs, fires continue to burn.

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