A widespread and massive power outage struck several San Francisco neighbourhoods on Saturday, casting a shadow over the city and disrupting life for over 130,000 homes and businesses. The blackout, which began in the morning on the city's West Side, was triggered by a fire at a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) substation, leaving approximately one-third of the utility's San Francisco customers without electricity.
What Caused the Massive San Francisco Power Outage?
According to reports citing San Francisco Fire Lieutenant Mariano Elias, the root cause was a fire that broke out inside a PG&E substation located at 8th and Mission streets around 2:15 PM. This incident is believed to have caused at least a significant portion of the blackouts. Firefighters responded to reports of smoke inside the four-story building and used specialised carbon monoxide equipment to battle the flames on the first floor. The exact cause of the initial outages in areas like Inner Sunset and Richmond earlier in the day remained unclear at the time.
Widespread Impact and Citywide Disruption
The scale of the San Francisco power outage was substantial, impacting a long list of neighbourhoods. By mid-afternoon, PG&E's website confirmed that about 30% of all city customers were affected. The impacted areas included:
- The Presidio
- Seacliff
- Outer Richmond
- Inner Richmond
- Golden Gate Park
- Panhandle
- Inner Sunset
- Outer Sunset
- Part of West of Twin Peaks
The consequences were felt across the city. Traffic lights failed, leading to significant congestion and safety concerns. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management advised residents to treat any dark traffic signal as a four-way stop. The festive atmosphere took a hit as holiday decorations went dark, while restaurants resorted to candles to continue serving diners.
Transport Halts and Official Response
The disruption extended to public transport, with the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system announcing the closure of Powell Street and Civic Center stations due to the outage. BART reported a 10-minute delay on the San Francisco Line in all directions. In response to the crisis, San Francisco activated its emergency operations center to coordinate the city's efforts. Mayor Daniel Lurie, in a video message, urged citizens to stay safe on the roads with many traffic lights non-functional.
PG&E issued its first public response on social media platform X, stating, "We are working with first responders and city officials on an outage in #SanFrancisco affecting 130,000 customers. We will share more information as it becomes available." The company, along with city officials, worked through the day to restore power and assess the full damage caused by the substation fire.
