The article Thousands Without Power As SDG&E Begins Public Safety Power Shutoffs appeared first on San Diego Patch.

These planned shutdowns are called public safety power shutoffs, abbreviated to PSPS, and they're increasingly common. So far this year, we've seen them in Texas, New Mexico and California.

Public safety power shutoffs are still possible in the Santa Fe and Las Vegas, N.M., areas and in the Sandia and East Mountains east of Albuquerque amid high winds and fire danger expected Thursday.

As the world warms, public safety power shutoffs will occur more frequently. The shutoffs clearly highlight the trade-off between economic and social disruption versus preventing dangerous wildfires.

Public safety power shutoffs are still possible in Santa Fe and Las Vegas, N.M., and in the Sandia and East Mountains east of Albuquerque amid high winds and fire danger expected Thursday.