On Saturday, December 20, 2025, a massive power outage struck San Francisco, leaving approximately 130,000 customers—roughly 30% of the city—without electricity. The blackout disrupted major transit systems, darkened neighborhood streets, and halted holiday events in the middle of a winter storm.
Impact on Transit and Infrastructure
- Public Transit: BART closed the Powell Street and Civic Center stations and reported system-wide delays. Muni bus and Central Subway services were also halted or forced to bypass certain areas.
- Road Safety: Darkened traffic lights led to “mayhem” at intersections, prompting officials to urge residents to treat them as four-way stops. Waymo self-driving vehicles were reportedly seen stalled at unlit intersections.
- Holiday Disruptions: The San Francisco Symphony’s performance of “Home Alone” at Hayes Valley was forced to end early when the power cut out mid-show.
Cause and Scope
- The Substation Fire: The San Francisco Fire Department responded to a fire at a PG&E substation located at 8th and Mission Streets at approximately 2:14 p.m.. While officials confirmed the fire was a major “contributing factor,” it was not immediately clear if it was the sole cause of the initial outages that began earlier that morning.
- Historical Context: Supervisor Matt Dorsey noted that the same substation was responsible for a major blackout in December 2003 that affected 120,000 customers.
- Affected Areas: Outages were most severe in the Richmond, Presidio, Sunset, and Golden Gate Park areas, later spreading to downtown, SoMa, and the Mission District.
Current Status and Safety
- Forecast: The blackout occurred during a rainy weekend, with the National Weather Service forecasting additional storms for the following six days.
- Official Advice: Mayor Daniel Lurie and emergency officials advised residents to avoid non-essential travel and stay off the streets to maintain safety while crews worked on restoration.
Restoration: While PG&E stabilized the grid by late Saturday afternoon, specific restoration times for all customers remained under investigation as of the latest reports.
