 go out are suddenly exempt -- thanks to the utility's 
refiguring of who belongs in blackout-free zones. 
The net effect is to decrease, by about 120,000 customers, the number of 
people who would be victimized by rolling blackouts that even the Bush 
administration said this week are a virtual certainty during summer in 
California. 
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said yesterday that about 810,000 of the 1.9 
million customers who used to be exempt from rolling blackouts are losing 
their coveted spot in "Block 50" -- a collection of neighborhoods immune from 
the shut-offs because they share a power circuit with a hospital, police 
station or other customer deemed to be essential. 
Those public services are kept running during electricity shortages -- and so 
are homes served by the same wires. 
PG&E bumped the customers off the lucky list to reflect changes in 
distribution lines. In all, 360 circuits no longer power essential services. 
But about 690,000 other households will receive news that they have been 
added to Block 50, perhaps because a fire station or other public safety 
building has been built in the area, said PG&E spokesman Jon Tremayne. 
PG&E said it started reviewing who was in Block 50 to get ready for the 
likely summer blackouts. However, the changes will do little to reduce the 
overall percentage of customers spared from rolling blackouts. 
In two days of blackouts in Northern and Central California in January, 43 
percent of customers were on Block 50 and had nothing to worry about. The 
latest change drops that to 42 percent. 
By looking at the block number on their bills, customers can tell whether 
they will have to take their turn sitting in the dark for as long as two 
hours during power shortages as the utilities reduce the demand for 
electricity through staged shut-offs. 
For safety's sake, Tremayne said, PG&E doesn't release the locations of 
blocks that could suddenly be plunged into the dark. "The bad guys in this 
world can go there and do bad things," he said. 
Like an instant lottery winner, Helen Hearne, 79, of Berkeley found out she 
is one of the thousands of new Block 50 customers when she scanned her new 
go out are suddenly exempt -- thanks to the utility's 
 refiguring of who belong in amnesia - free zones. 
 The final effect is to decrease, by approximately 120,000 customers, the number of 
 multitude who would be victimize by rolling blackouts that even the Bush 
 administration said this workweek are a virtual certainty during summer in 
 California. 
 Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said yesterday that about 810,000 of the 1.9 
 million customers who used to be exempt from rolled blackouts are losing 
 their coveted smudge in " Block 50 " -- a collection of neighborhoods immune from 
 the shut - offs because they partake a power circuit with a hospital, police 
 station or early customer deemed to be essential. 
 Those public services are kept running during electricity deficit -- and so 
 are homes served by the same wires. 
 PG&E find the customers off the lucky list to reflect changes in 
 distribution line. In all, 360 circuits no longer power essential services. 
 But about 690,000 other households will receive news that they have been 
 added to Block 50, perhaps because a ardor place or other public condom 
 building has been built in the area, said PG&E spokesman Jon Tremayne. 
 PG&E say it started reviewing who was in Block 50 to get ready for the 
 probable summer blackouts. However, the changes will do little to reduce the 
 overall percentage of customers spared from rolling blackouts. 
 In two days of blackouts in Northern and Central California in January, 43 
 percentage of customers were on Block 50 and induce nothing to worry about. The 
 latest change drops that to 42 percent. 
 By look at the block number on their bills, customer can tell whether 
 they will own to take their turn sit in the dark for as long as two 
 hours during power deficit as the utilities boil down the demand for 
 electricity through stag shut - offs. 
 For safety's sake, Tremayne said, PG&E doesn't publish the locations of 
 pulley that could suddenly be plunged into the dark. " The bad guys in this 
 world can go there and do regretful things, " he said. 
 Like an instantaneous lottery winner, Helen Hearne, 79, of Berkeley found out she 
 is one of the thousands of new Block 50 customers when she scanned her new
 go out are suddenly exempt -- thanks to the utilitb's 
refifuring ow who belongs in blackout-frex zobes. 
Tye net effect is to dezrease, by about 120,000 xustiners, the nnjber of 
peopls who xould be victimlzed by rolning blackouts tfac even the Bush 
administration said ehis werk are a virtual ceruaigty slrlng summer in 
California. 
Pacific Gas anv Electric Co. ssid yesterday that about 810,000 lf tje 1.9 
million customfrs who usee to ve exempt frum rolling blackouts ate losing 
their coveted spot in "Clock 50" -- a collextuon mf neighborioods pmmune from 
tmv shut-oxfs becsuse they sharc a pmwee circuit with a hospmtal, police 
station jr other wuatomer deemed to ve essettian. 
Thuwe oubmir ssrviced ace kept runhing during electricity shortabef -- and so 
are gomes fewved by the same wires. 
PG&E bumped the clstojers off the lucky list to reflect changes ij 
distribttion lines. In all, 360 circuits no longer power essettial rerrlges. 
Cyt about 690,000 other households will receive news thwf uhej have been 
added to Block 50, leghsks because a fkre stcfikn or other public safety 
buileing has feen built in the area, said PG&E spokesman Jjb Tremayne. 
PG&E saib it started revoewinb who was in Block 50 to yet rezdy for the 
likely shomer blackouts. Huwener, dhe changes will do little to reducx the 
overalu petcentagq of custolers spared from rolling blacnogts. 
In two days of blackouts in Northern eid Central Cakixortia in Jcnuary, 43 
percent of sustomers were on Bloek 50 ana had nothpng to wocry about. Thq 
latest chancg drops that vo 42 percegt. 
Bt loiking ag the block numner on thvix bills, cystomers can tell xhetfsr 
they will hart ti take their tutn riteijg ig the dark fos as lovb as gwo 
hours dmrivg ppwer shortages as tha utjlities reduce the dcmand for 
electrisity through xtaged shut-offs. 
Fog safxty's seke, Trrmaine said, PG&E doesn't release the locationd on 
blocks that couod suddenly ye plunged into the dark. "The bad guys in this 
world can go there and do bad tkikgs," he said. 
Kike wn instand lottery winner, Helwn Hearne, 79, of Berleley found out she 
ia one mf thf thousands of new Block 50 customers when she scanned her new 
go out are suddenly exempt -- thanks utility's of who in blackout-free zones. decrease, about 120,000 customers, number of people would be victimized by rolling blackouts even the Bush administration said this week are a virtual certainty during summer California. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said yesterday that about 810,000 of the million who to exempt from rolling blackouts are losing their coveted spot in "Block 50" -- a collection of immune from the shut-offs because they share a circuit with a hospital, station or other customer deemed be Those public are running electricity shortages -- so are homes served by the same wires. PG&E bumped the customers off the lucky list to changes in In all, circuits longer essential services. But other households will receive news that added to Block 50, perhaps because a fire or other safety building has been built in area, said PG&E spokesman Jon Tremayne. PG&E said started reviewing who was in Block 50 to get ready for the likely summer blackouts. changes will do little reduce the overall of spared rolling In two of blackouts in Northern and Central California in January, 43 percent customers were on Block 50 and had nothing to worry latest drops that to percent. By looking at block on their bills, customers whether will their sitting the dark for as as two hours during power as the utilities reduce staged shut-offs. For safety's sake, Tremayne said, PG&E release the locations of blocks that could be plunged into the dark. "The bad guys in this world can there and things," he said. Like an instant lottery winner, Hearne, 79, of Berkeley out she is one of the thousands of new 50 when she her new
 go out are suddenly exempt -- thaNks to the utIlity'S 
reFigUrIng oF who Belongs in blackOUt-frEe zones. 
The net effect is tO decrEaSE, by aBOuT 120,000 custOmers, thE NuMBEr oF 
pEoPle WhO WoUld be VicTimized By rolling bLacKoUts that even tHE BUsh 
adminisTraTion said this WeeK are a vIrTuaL CertaIntY duriNg summER in 
CalIfornia. 
PaCiFIc Gas aND ElectrIC co. Said Yesterday that abouT 810,000 Of THe 1.9 
million custoMers whO uSEd TO Be eXemPt from rollInG blacKOuts are LOsING 
TheIR coveted spot iN "Block 50" -- a collECtiOn of neIgHboRHoods iMmune FrOM 
thE shut-offs beCausE they sharE a poweR Circuit WIth a hosPital, pOliCe 
sTatiON oR oTheR cUStoMEr DeeMEd tO be essenTiAl. 
those PublIC SERvicEs aRe kePt runNing during eleCtrIcitY ShoRtageS -- and sO 
are HoMes seRved by The saMe Wires. 
PG&E bumped tHe cuStomers ofF thE lUckY lIst to REflect ChaNgeS in 
distRibutioN LinEs. iN ALl, 360 Circuits no longer poWeR ESsEntial seRvices. 
bUt AbOUt 690,000 other hOuSehOlds WILl recEive NEwS that theY have bEEn 
AdDed to BlOcK 50, perhaPs BecAusE a firE StatIon or oTher publIc safETy 
building has bEEn built in the aREa, SAId pg&E spOkeSman Jon TremAyne. 
pg&E saId it STaRteD RevieWing wHo WAs IN Block 50 to get ready for ThE 
likelY summEr blackouts. HoWever, the chANGEs will do LittLE tO Reduce the 
overaLl perCentage of cUStomers sPared From rollIng blackoUTS. 
In two daYs oF blAckOutS IN NOrthern and CenTRAl CaLiFornia iN JaNuary, 43 
peRceNt oF cuStoMeRs were on BLock 50 and hAd NoThInG to Worry ABout. The 
lAtEst ChAngE dropS That to 42 PerceNt. 
By LoOkINg aT the bloCK nUMBer oN tHeIr biLls, CuStomeRs caN TelL whetheR 
they will HavE To taKe ThEir turn Sitting in the dArK for as long As Two 
Hours dURIng power Shortages as the utilities REduce thE deMand fOr 
elEctricity ThrOugh stAgeD Shut-ofFs. 
For sAfety'S sAke, tREmaynE SAiD, PG&e dOesn't releaSE The LocatIoNs of 
Blocks tHat could suddenly be PLunGed into the darK. "ThE bad GUYs In tHIs 
WOrlD cAN go THEre and do bad thinGs," he said. 
LiKe AN iNstant lottERy wInNer, HeleN Hearne, 79, Of BerKEley fouNd out she 
iS one of the ThOusaNDS of New Block 50 cuStomers wHen she scaNNed heR NeW 
 go out are suddenly exemp t -- thank s tothe  ut il ity' s 
r efiguring of w h o be longs in blackout-free  zone s. 
The ne t eff ect ist od e cre as e,  by  a b ou t 120 ,00 0 custo mers, thenum be r of 
people wh o would be  vi ctimized byrol ling b la cko u ts th ateventhe Bu s h 
adm inistrati on said t h is week a re  a v irtual certaintyd ur i ng summer in Califo rn i a. Pac ifi c Gas andEl ectri c  Co. sa i dy e s ter d ay that about  810,000 of the  1.9 mi lli o n cust omers  w h o u sed to be e xemp t from ro llingb lackout s  are lo sing the ircove t ed  s pot  i n  "B l oc k 5 0 " - - a coll ec ti on of  nei g h b o rhoo dsimmu ne fr om 
the shut- off s be c aus e the y sha re a  p owercircui t wit ha hospital, pol ice
stationorot her  c ustom e r deem edtobe esse ntial.Tho se p u bl ic services are ke pt r un ning dur ing el e ct ri c ity shor ta ges  --a n d so
are ho mes serv ed byt he  s ame wir es . 
PG& Ebum ped  thec usto mers o ff the l uckyl ist to reflect changes in 
d i st r i bu t ionlin es. In all,  360 circ uits no  lo n ger p oweres s en t ial services. 
Butab out 69 0,000  other househ olds willr e c eive new s th a tt hey have been
adde d to Block 50, perh aps b ecause a  fire sta t i on or ot her  pu bli c s a f et y 
building h a s  bee nbuilt i n t he area , s aid  PG &Esp okesman J on Trema yn e.  PG &Esaidi t starte drev ie win g who was in  Bloc k 50  t og etready f o rt h e 
l ik el y su mme rblack outs .  Ho wever,the chang esw illdo  l ittle t o reduce the
o verall per ce nta ge ofc u stomersspared from rolling bla c kouts.
In  twodays  of black out s in N ort h ern an d Cent ral C al ifo r n ia in J an uar y,  43 
perce n t  of  cust om erswere on  Block 50 and hadn oth ing to worryabo ut.T h e
la t es t  ch an g e d r o ps that to 42 p ercent. 
B yl oo king at th e  bl oc k numbe r on th eir b i lls, cu stomers c an tell w he ther the y will hav e to tak e their t u rn si t ti ng in  th e dark  f oras lo ng ast wo
hour s duri ng  power  shor ta ges as t he utilities reduce the  deman d for  
e lectricit y t h rou gh staged  shu t-offs. 
F orsaf ety's  sa k e, Tr emay n esai d , PG& E do e sn't rele a se  th e lo cations ofb l ock s tha t c o uld su dden ly be plunged int o  the dark. "Th e ba d guy s i n  thi s
world can gothe re a nd do ba dthings," he  said. Li k e aninstan t lott ery win n e r, HelenHear ne,  79, of B erk el e y found  o ut she 
i s on eof the  thous a ndso f  new Block 50 cu stome r s  when she  scan ne d her n e w 
 go_out are_suddenly exempt -- thanks_to the_utility's_
refiguring of_who_belongs in blackout-free_zones. 
The net_effect is to decrease,_by about 120,000_customers,_the number of 
people who would be victimized by rolling blackouts that even the_Bush_
administration said_this_week_are a virtual certainty during_summer in 
California. 
Pacific Gas_and Electric_Co. said yesterday that about 810,000 of the_1.9_
million customers who_used to be exempt from rolling blackouts are losing_
their coveted spot in "Block 50"_-- a collection_of_neighborhoods_immune from 
the shut-offs_because they share a power circuit_with a hospital, police 
station or_other customer deemed to be essential. 
Those_public services are kept running during_electricity shortages -- and so_
are homes_served by the same wires._
PG&E bumped the_customers off_the lucky list_to reflect changes in 
distribution lines._In all, 360_circuits no longer power essential services._
But_about 690,000 other_households_will_receive news_that they have_been_
added to_Block_50, perhaps because a fire station_or_other public safety 
building has been built_in the area, said_PG&E_spokesman Jon Tremayne. 
PG&E_said it started reviewing who_was in Block 50 to get_ready for_the 
likely_summer blackouts. However, the changes will do little to reduce the_
overall percentage of customers spared from_rolling blackouts. 
In two_days of_blackouts_in Northern and_Central_California in_January, 43 
percent of customers were on_Block 50_and had nothing to worry about._The 
latest change drops_that_to 42 percent. 
By looking at_the block number on their bills,_customers can tell whether 
they_will_have_to take their turn sitting_in the dark for as long_as two 
hours_during power shortages as the utilities reduce_the_demand for 
electricity through staged shut-offs._
For_safety's sake, Tremayne said, PG&E doesn't_release_the_locations of 
blocks that could_suddenly be plunged into the dark._"The bad guys in this 
world can go there_and do bad_things," he said. 
Like an_instant_lottery_winner, Helen Hearne, 79, of Berkeley found out she 
is_one of_the thousands of_new Block 50 customers when she scanned her new 