Aug. 18--OPPONENTS TRY TO PRE-EMPT SDG&E PLAN: Opponents of a plan to cut power to as many as 130,000 people in rural San Diego County on windy autumn days to prevent wildfires filed reports Monday arguing that recent events show the utility should be blocked from doing so until state regulators rule on the matter.

Such a preliminary order might seem a moot point, given the California Public Utilities Commission's intention of delivering a decision Sept. 10.

But San Diego Gas & Electric Co. had planned to put its controversial plan into place next month. And SDG&E officials have said that in the absence of a decision, they might turn the power off as early as Sept. 1 if Santa Ana winds blow earlier than usual.

Company officials have said they will abide by the commission's will once a decision is rendered.

Wildfires in 2003 and 2007 torched hundreds of thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of homes and killed more than two dozen people in San Diego County.

While arson and a lost hunter's signal fire were the main causes in 2003, SDG&E's power lines were blamed in three of the 2007 infernos.

SDG&E serves 3.4 million people in San Diego County and southern Orange County.

The area that could lose power in a fire-prevention outage includes De Luz, Fallbrook, Pala, Pauma Valley, Valley Center, Julian and Ramona, and parts of Poway and Escondido.

On Thursday, the commission is scheduled to rule on opponents' request for an order temporarily blocking the shutoff plan.

In anticipation, several groups filed written reports with the state Monday.

The groups include the California Cable & Telecommunications Association, Time Warner Cable, AT&T and Cox California; the commission's Consumer Protection and Safety Division and Division of Ratepayer Advocates; and the Mussey Grade Road Alliance of Ramona.

An agency official issued a preliminary ruling earlier denying the request, saying opponents hadn't shown their position was likely to prevail -- a requirement for temporary orders.

But, in the new reports, opponents said that changed with the release last week of a pair of official recommendations to the commission.

One of those called for rejecting the shutoff plan.

The other one recommended authorizing the plan, but limiting it to a one-season experiment with conditions.

SDG&E attorneys Keith Melville and Lisa Urick wrote Monday that opponents "have not, and cannot, demonstrate which decision will be adopted" Sept. 10.

Some groups said shutting off power may be necessary under certain conditions.