SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Gas & Electric Co. plans to cut off electricity in rural parts of the county during dry and windy weather with or without regulatory approval, it was reported Wednesday.

The controversial shutoff plan will go into effect when fire season starts on Sept. 1, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The utility announced its plans Tuesday after the state Public Utilities Commission said it could not complete a "careful, deliberate" review the plan before Sept. 10, the newspaper reported.

SDG&E has been blamed for numerous past wildfires, including the devastating Witch Creek, Guejito and Rice Canyon fires in October 2007.

State investigators concluded the fires were sparked after SDG&E power lines snapped under strong Santa Ana winds. As a result, the utility has agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle fire-related lawsuits.

The utility asked the commission to review the plan last December at the PUC's request after opponents argued that shutting off power would deprive rural residents of vital services without any formal support from local firefighting agencies.

"The commission hasn't said we can't do it," utility spokeswoman Stephanie Donovan told the Union-Tribune.

Donovan also told the newspaper that if the commission later decides against the plan, SDG&E would abide by the decision.

The plan could affect as many as 60,000 SDG&E customers, or about 150,000 people.

Under the plan, power would be shut off when a red-flag warning has been issued by the National Weather Service; moisture is at or below 10 percent in twigs and 75 percent or less in live plants; relative humidity is at or below 20 percent; and sustained winds are over 29 mph, or gusts of about 47 mph are accompanied by sustained winds over 24 mph.