A widespread power outage impacted several San Francisco neighborhoods on Saturday, leaving nearly a third of the city without electricity. PG&E’s website indicated the outage began around 9:40 a.m.
Neighborhoods Affected
The outage affected areas including The Presidio, Seacliff, Outer and Inner Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Panhandle, Inner and Outer Sunset, and a portion of West of Twin Peaks. Parts of the Western Addition and Downtown also experienced power loss.
Scale of the Outage and Restoration Efforts
By 3 p.m. on Saturday, approximately 30% of San Francisco—more than 130,000 customers—were without power. PG&E reported restoring power to around 90,000 customers by 9 p.m. The utility provider anticipated full restoration for the remaining 40,000 customers overnight. However, as of 10:30 p.m. Saturday, nearly 37,000 customers were still reported without power according to PowerOutage.us.
Impact on Transportation and Safety
The power outage caused disruptions to public transportation. BART closed the Powell Street and Civic Center stations, while Muni reported service suspensions for trains entering the Muni Metro and Central Subway. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced the BART stations reopened around 9 p.m., with Muni services resuming, though lingering effects were expected. Mayor Lurie urged residents to avoid travel and advised increased police presence at intersections and along corridors to ensure safety.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management cautioned that traffic lights may have been affected, advising drivers to treat intersections as four-way stops. Waymo also temporarily suspended its services within the city.
PG&E has not yet released information regarding the cause of the outage, and reported no injuries related to the incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the power outage begin?
The first power outage started around 9:40 a.m. on Saturday.
Which areas of San Francisco were affected?
The Presidio, Seacliff, Outer and Inner Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Panhandle, Inner and Outer Sunset, and part of West of Twin Peaks were among the neighborhoods impacted, as well as portions of the Western Addition and Downtown.
What did officials advise residents to do?
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie advised residents to stay off the roads and remain indoors if possible, and noted increased police presence at intersections and corridors.
As power restoration continues, residents may experience lingering disruptions to transportation and other services. How might a prolonged outage impact daily life in San Francisco?
Related reading