San Francisco power outage, PG&E substation fire, over 130,000 customers affected, power restoration San Francisco, and Bay Area blackout 2025 are trending heavily as residents breathe a sigh of relief following a widespread disruption that plunged parts of the city into darkness over the weekend.
Hope returned to darkened neighborhoods across San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) crews have made significant progress restoring electricity after a massive outage impacted more than 130,000 customers—roughly 30% of the city—starting Saturday, December 20, 2025.
The blackout began around 9:40 a.m. in areas like the Inner Sunset and quickly spread to neighborhoods including the Richmond District, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Sunset, and parts of downtown. By early afternoon, the peak hit with over 130,000 homes and businesses affected. A fire at a PG&E substation on 8th and Mission streets, reported around 2:15 p.m., contributed to the chaos, causing extensive damage that complicated repairs.
PG&E mobilized additional engineers and crews, stabilizing the grid by late Saturday afternoon and announcing no further outages were expected. Restoration efforts ramped up overnight: by 11 p.m. Saturday, power returned to about 100,000-110,000 customers. On Sunday morning, December 21, around 21,000 remained without electricity, concentrated in the Richmond, Presidio, and downtown pockets. As of the latest updates, PG&E continues complex repairs, with full restoration anticipated soon, though no exact timeline for the final customers has been confirmed.
The outage wreaked havoc on daily life. Traffic lights failed, causing gridlock and requiring police direction at intersections. Public transit suffered major disruptions: BART closed stations like Powell and Civic Center temporarily, while Muni bypassed underground stops and delayed services. Self-driving Waymo vehicles stalled in some areas, prompting a service suspension. Businesses closed early, and events like holiday shopping faced cancellations. A brief outage even hit Chase Center earlier in the day.
San Francisco officials urged caution, advising residents to treat dark intersections as four-way stops, conserve phone batteries, and check on vulnerable neighbors. Mayor Daniel Lurie emphasized safety, noting the outage’s timing during rainy weather and the busy pre-Christmas weekend added to frustrations.
Experts point to infrastructure vulnerabilities. PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian described the substation damage as “significant and extensive,” requiring careful, safety-focused work. This incident echoes past outages, including one from the same substation in 2003 affecting similar numbers. Critics highlight ongoing concerns with aging grid reliability amid California’s wildfire prevention efforts and extreme weather.
Public reactions mixed relief with irritation on social media. Residents shared photos of candlelit dinners and flashlight-lit streets, with posts like “Finally back on after hours in the dark—thanks PG&E crews!” Others vented about spoiled food and disrupted plans: “Holiday weekend ruined by another blackout.” Supporters praised first responders and utility workers braving conditions to restore service quickly.
For U.S. readers, especially in tech-heavy San Francisco, this underscores energy dependence in a hub of innovation. Outages disrupt remote work, data centers, and daily commutes, hitting the local economy through lost business and productivity. Nationally, it fuels debates on grid modernization, renewable transitions, and utility accountability—issues resonant amid rising extreme weather events. For families nationwide preparing for holidays, it serves as a reminder to have emergency kits ready.
As Monday, December 22, dawns, most San Franciscans have power back, allowing a return to normalcy. PG&E vows to investigate the root cause fully while prioritizing the remaining restorations.
The event highlights resilience in the face of unexpected disruptions. With San Francisco power outage, PG&E substation fire, over 130,000 customers affected, power restoration San Francisco, and Bay Area blackout 2025 still buzzing online, residents share stories of community support during the blackout.
In summary, swift action by PG&E has brought relief to the vast majority after the weekend’s extensive outage, though final fixes continue for a smoother, more reliable future.
By Mark Smith
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