A widespread power outage caused by PG&E left large parts of San Francisco in the dark on Saturday, cutting electricity to about 130,000 homes and businesses. The sudden blackouts disrupted daily life across the city, shutting down traffic lights, interrupting public transit, and affecting holiday shopping during one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Power Outages Spread Across San Francisco
The outages began early Saturday morning in San Francisco’s western neighborhoods and gradually spread to other parts of the city throughout the day. More than 30% of the city’s households and businesses were affected at the peak of the disruption.
Fire at Mission District Substation Triggers More Blackouts
San Francisco fire officials confirmed that a fire broke out inside a PG&E power substation near 8th and Mission streets around 2:15 p.m. Firefighters responded after workers reported smoke inside the building.
According to San Francisco Fire Lt. Mariano Elias, crews used specialized equipment to put out the fire inside the four-story substation. The incident contributed to additional power outages across the city.
PG&E Responds as City Comes to a Standstill
PG&E initially provided limited information as the outages unfolded. The company later acknowledged the situation in a public statement, saying it was working with emergency responders and city officials to restore service to affected customers.
As of Saturday afternoon, PG&E had not confirmed the cause of the earliest outages that hit neighborhoods like the Inner Sunset and Richmond District.
Timeline of the San Francisco Power Outages
Morning Outages on the West Side
The first outage was reported around 9:40 a.m., cutting power to more than 14,600 customers in areas including the Inner Sunset and Forest Hill.
Just after 10:10 a.m., a second outage affected the Presidio, the Richmond District, and parts of Market Street, leaving nearly 25,000 customers without electricity.
Transit Disruptions Across the City
The power failures had immediate effects on public transportation. By early afternoon, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced that Muni trains were bypassing Van Ness Station.
Later in the day, both Muni and BART trains began skipping Civic Center and Powell Street stations due to the outages.
Holiday Shopping and Traffic Impacted
The outages occurred during peak holiday shopping hours, forcing many stores to close temporarily. Traffic conditions worsened as street lights went dark in multiple neighborhoods.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management warned drivers to treat all non-functioning traffic signals as four-way stops to prevent accidents.
Outages Expand Citywide by Afternoon
By around 3 p.m., power losses had spread to the Outer Sunset, Hayes Valley, parts of the Mission District, and areas near Alamo Square. Thousands more customers lost electricity as the outages continued to grow.
PG&E estimated that power would return to some neighborhoods, including the Presidio and Richmond, by late afternoon. However, other areas were expected to remain without electricity well into the evening.
Conclusion
The widespread PG&E outages brought San Francisco to a near standstill, affecting transportation, traffic safety, businesses, and residents citywide. With the cause of the initial outages still unclear and restoration efforts ongoing, city officials urged residents to stay alert and cautious.
This is a developing situation, and further updates are expected as PG&E works to restore power and investigate the cause of the outages.
