Alva Review-Courier -

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lights went out across large portions of Northern California on Wednesday as the state's largest utility began its second massive blackout in two weeks and hinted that more outages could come this weekend due to the return of dangerous fire weather.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said the rolling blackouts stretching from the Sierra foothills in the northeast to areas north of the San Francisco Bay Area would ultimately impact a half-million people — or nearly 180,000 customers — in 17 counties.

"We understand the hardship caused by these shutoffs," said Bill Johnson, CEO of P...