A major San Francisco power outage plunged large parts of the city into darkness, leaving more than 130,000 customers without electricity and disrupting daily life during a busy holiday period. The outage affected homes, businesses, public transport, and traffic systems across multiple neighborhoods.
According to early reports, a fire at a PG&E substation caused the outage and forced crews to shut down parts of the grid to prevent further damage. City officials urged residents to remain cautious, especially at intersections where traffic lights stopped working.
According to AP News, the San Francisco power outage left nearly 130,000 customers without electricity after a fire at a PG&E substation, disrupting transit, traffic signals, and businesses across the city.
What Caused the San Francisco Power Outage?
Preliminary information shows that a substation fire at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) triggered the San Francisco power outage. Fire crews responded quickly, while safety protocols led PG&E to take large sections of the grid offline.
PG&E stated that crews began inspections and repairs immediately, though officials initially avoided giving a precise restoration timeline due to the complexity of the damage.
Areas and Services Most Affected
The San Francisco power outage caused widespread disruption across the city:
- Public transit: BART and Muni services experienced delays and partial suspensions.
- Traffic: Non-functional signals led to congestion and safety concerns.
- Businesses: Shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues temporarily closed.
- Technology services: Autonomous vehicle operations were paused in some areas.
Residents across downtown and surrounding neighborhoods reported intermittent restoration as crews worked zone by zone.
Restoration Efforts and City Response
By late evening, PG&E restored power to tens of thousands of customers, but thousands still spent the night without electricity as repair crews continued work across the city.
City officials in San Francisco advised residents to:
- Treat dark intersections as four-way stops
- Avoid unnecessary travel during outages
- Monitor official PG&E outage updates
Authorities also emphasized that safety inspections must be completed before full restoration to prevent repeat failures.
Why This Outage Matters
Beyond the immediate inconvenience, the San Francisco power outage has also raised renewed concerns about grid reliability, aging infrastructure, and emergency preparedness, especially during peak travel and shopping seasons. As a result, public frustration grew, with many residents demanding clearer communication and faster response times.
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About the Author: GRV is a digital media writer and the creator of Dumbfeed, a platform dedicated to simplifying complex global and political news into clear, engaging, and family-friendly formats. He focuses on delivering accurate, easy-to-understand explanations that help readers stay informed without the noise. When he’s not writing, GRV creates video content and short-form news updates for social media.
