PGE Power Outage Strikes San Francisco Twice in One Day, Leaving 23,000 in the Dark

A major PGE power outage hit San Francisco on December 8. Nearly 23,000 customers lost electricity in two separate incidents. The first blackout occurred in the morning, while a second struck in the evening.Pacific Gas and Electric Company confirmed both events were caused by equipment failures. The dual disruptions caused significant inconvenience and raised fresh concerns about the reliability of the region’s aging power grid.

Morning Grid Failure at Hunters Point Substation

The first and largest outage began early Monday. It was triggered by a critical equipment failure at the Hunters Point substation. This impacted approximately 22,500 PGE customers across several neighborhoods.Areas like the Mission, Bayview, and Hunters Point were plunged into darkness. According to reports from the SF Standard, crews worked for hours to diagnose and fix the problem. Power was finally restored by 11:48 a.m. PST.The widespread nature of the morning outage disrupted many daily routines. Traffic signals went dark, and businesses were forced to close temporarily. Residents expressed frustration as the utility worked to bring the grid back online.

Second Evening Outage Hits Sunset District

Before the city could fully recover, a second PGE power outage struck hours later. This one affected the Sunset District starting at 6:13 p.m. PST. Broken equipment was again identified as the cause.This evening disruption left an additional 4,172 customers without power. KRON4 News reported on the compounding frustration for residents. The back-to-back failures on the same day were highly unusual.PGE crews were once again dispatched to the scene. Restoration efforts continued into the night for those affected by the second wave. The incidents highlighted persistent infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Broader Impact on Community and Infrastructure

The cascading effect of these outages was substantial. Critical services faced challenges, and daily life was interrupted for thousands. The events put a spotlight on the state of PGE’s infrastructure in the Bay Area.Local officials and residents have long questioned the resilience of the power network. Aging equipment and deferred maintenance are often cited as key risks. Incidents like these fuel calls for accelerated investment and upgrades.

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The consecutive PGE power outage events underscore a pressing need for grid modernization to prevent widespread disruptions in the future.

Info at your fingertips

What caused the San Francisco power outages on December 8?

The morning outage was caused by equipment failure at the Hunters Point substation. The evening outage in the Sunset District was also due to broken equipment, according to PGE.

How many customers were affected by the PGE outages?

Combined, nearly 23,000 customers lost power. The morning outage affected about 22,500 customers, and the evening event impacted 4,172 more.

When was power restored after the outages?

Power from the major morning outage was restored by 11:48 a.m. PST. Restoration times for the smaller evening outage varied as crews addressed the broken equipment.

Which neighborhoods were impacted?

The Hunters Point substation failure affected the Mission, Bayview, and Hunters Point areas. The second outage specifically hit the Sunset District.

Is PGE’s infrastructure a recurring problem?

Aging infrastructure and equipment failures have been a concern for years. These dual outages on the same day have intensified scrutiny on the utility’s maintenance and upgrade schedules.