Key Takeaways:
- A massive power outage affected approximately 130,000 customers in San Francisco, accounting for about 30% of the city.
- The outage was caused by a fire at a substation in the South of Market neighborhood, which is still under investigation.
- PG&E restored power to about 70% of its customers by 9:45 p.m., with more restorations expected around midnight.
- The outage caused significant disruptions, including traffic gridlock, business closures, and interruptions to public transportation and internet services.
- The city asked residents to stay off the streets and avoid non-essential travel, and to only call 911 in case of life safety emergencies.
Introduction to the Power Outage
The city of San Francisco experienced a massive power outage on Saturday, affecting approximately 130,000 customers, which accounts for about 30% of the city. The outage was first reported in the Inner Sunset neighborhood at around 9:40 a.m. and quickly spread to other areas, including the Richmond District, the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and the Civic Center. By 8:50 p.m., the number of customers without power had fallen to 95,280, or 23% of San Francisco, according to PG&E’s online outage status.
Causes of the Power Outage
The cause of the power outage was a fire at a substation located at 8th Street and Mission Streets in the South of Market neighborhood. The San Francisco Fire Department reported to the scene of the fire, which was reported at 2:14 p.m. The substation was also responsible for a blackout on December 21, 2003, affecting about 120,000 customers at the time. PG&E is still investigating the cause of the fire, but progress was being made in restoring power to affected customers.
Response to the Power Outage
Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed that customers were seeing their power restored in a 10 p.m. update. PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said that about 88,500 customers had their power restored by 8:45 p.m., with about 42,000 customers still impacted. The city asked residents to stay off the streets and avoid non-essential travel, and to only call 911 in case of life safety emergencies. San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said that the city had been using all its resources to help PG&E restore power, but noted that the outage was unacceptable and that further investigation was needed.
Impact on Public Transportation and Businesses
The power outage had a significant impact on public transportation, with BART closing the Civic Center station and running limited service on some lines. Muni trains were also affected, with shuttle service running between West Portal and Caltrain. The outage also forced the closure of some businesses, including the Walgreens on Market and Ninth Street. Autonomous ridesharing service Waymo paused its service in the city, and internet service was also affected by some providers, including Monkey Brains.
Disruptions to Events and Daily Life
The power outage interrupted Saturday’s matinee performance of Moulin Rouge at the Orpheum Theatre, which was cancelled. There was also a brief power outage at San Francisco’s Chase Center, which lasted from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. The outage caused gridlock in parts of downtown San Francisco, with traffic signals out at major intersections. The city advised residents to treat traffic signals in the affected areas as four-way stop signs. The outage also affected the Saturday before Christmas, which is historically one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Restoration of Power and Future Investigations
By 9:45 p.m., PG&E had restored power to about 70% of its customers, with more restorations expected around midnight. The company is still investigating the cause of the fire and the outage, but progress was being made in restoring power to affected customers. The city and PG&E will likely face further investigation and questions about what went wrong, and how to prevent similar outages in the future. Supervisor Matt Dorsey noted that the same substation was responsible for a blackout in 2003, and that the city needs to ensure that its infrastructure is reliable and able to meet the needs of its residents.