Power shut-offs like the one that darkened parts of California this week are expected to be a regular occurrence in the state for years during wildfire season as PG&E Corp. upgrades its aging equipment and completes overdue repairs. California utilities in recent years have resorted to so-called public safety power shut-offs in which they cut off electricity to certain areas to reduce the risk of their power lines sparking wildfires when wind speeds pick up.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 08, 2020 19:21 UTC