Catastrophic Substation Fire Triggers 48-Hour Battle to Restore Power in San Francisco

A massive substation fire plunged large sections of San Francisco into darkness over the weekend, leaving approximately 130,000 customers without power. The fire broke out Saturday afternoon, causing one of the most widespread San Francisco power outages in recent history. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) crews are working around the clock on complex repairs. The utility now targets full restoration by 2 p.m. Monday.

The incident has crippled businesses, disrupted transit, and left residents scrambling for over 48 hours. According to the San Francisco Fire Department, the blaze at the Eighth and Mission Streets substation required a specialized response. The damage is extensive, affecting nearly one-third of PG&E’s customer base in the city.

Inside the Substation Blaze That Paralyzed the City

The crisis began with initial outages just after 1 p.m. on Saturday. It escalated dramatically when fire erupted inside the critical substation around 2:15 p.m. Firefighters used carbon dioxide extinguishers designed for electrical fires to combat the flames in the five-story building.

Smoke filled the structure, complicating firefighting efforts. The fire was declared fully extinguished by 6 p.m., allowing PG&E investigators to begin their assessment. The utility quickly labeled the damage as “significant and extensive,” confirming the need for a major restoration effort.

The cascading failure from the substation impacted interconnected grids. This led to the massive blackout spanning neighborhoods from downtown to the Richmond District. The scale of the outage immediately strained city resources and emergency services.

The Grueling Path to Full Power Restoration

PG&E has mobilized every available engineer and electrician to San Francisco. Restoration work is complex and requires meticulous safety protocols. The utility has emphasized that this is a “very complex workplan” needing the highest safety focus.

Progress has been steady but slow. By Saturday night, power was back for about 95,000 customers. That number grew to 110,000 by Sunday morning. As of Sunday afternoon, roughly 16,000 customers remained in the dark, primarily in the Presidio, Richmond District, and near Golden Gate Park.

PG&E spokesperson Andrea Borba stated crews will work until every customer is restored. The utility is coordinating with city agencies to support affected residents during this prolonged outage. The 2 p.m. Monday deadline represents a critical milestone for the city’s recovery.

Economic Fallout and Citywide Disruption

The economic impact has been severe for local businesses. Restaurants, shops, and service providers lost crucial holiday weekend revenue. Many were forced to close entirely, with some reporting losses amounting to thousands of dollars.

Transportation networks faced major disruptions. BART bypassed key downtown stations, and Muni subway lines halted underground service. Even Waymo’s autonomous vehicle fleet was grounded, with cars stranded at intersections without functioning traffic signals.

Residents have adapted with difficulty. Many purchased emergency supplies, used camping gear for power, and worried about spoiled food and medication. The city opened a Community Resource Center in the Richmond District offering charging stations, WiFi, water, and snacks.

The extended San Francisco power outage underscores the vulnerability of urban energy grids to single points of failure. With restoration efforts continuing into Monday, the city awaits a full return to normalcy and answers about preventing future crises.

A quick knowledge drop for you

What caused the San Francisco power outage?

The outage was triggered by a major fire at PG&E’s Eighth and Mission Streets electrical substation. The fire broke out around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, causing extensive damage to critical infrastructure.

When will power be fully restored?

PG&E has stated the goal is to restore all customers by 2 p.m. on Monday. This timeline is based on ongoing damage assessments and the complexity of the repair work required.

Which neighborhoods were most affected?

The outage impacted approximately 130,000 customers across San Francisco. Areas most affected included downtown, the Presidio, the Richmond District, and areas near Golden Gate Park.

How are businesses being helped?

Restaurants and shops have suffered significant financial losses. The city is directing affected customers to call 211 for potential hotel accommodations covered by PG&E, though direct business compensation details are still emerging.

Why is the restoration taking so long?

PG&E describes the substation damage as “significant and extensive.” Repairs are complex and require strict safety protocols, mobilizing all available engineers and electricians to the site.

How has public transit been affected?

BART service bypassed Powell and Civic Center stations. Muni’s K, L, M, and J metro lines suspended underground service. Many traffic signals were out, creating widespread gridlock.