The power is out in huge parts of Northern California as Pacific Gas & Electric Co. makes good on its threats to turn off electricity lines to an estimated 2.3 million people. Across the region, officials and residents have scrambled to respond, with mixed results. As the utility struggles to get out accurate information to those affected, residents prepare for a days-long outage. But questions remain: Why did the Bay Area seem so ill prepared to deal with what could become the new normal?

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