San Francisco Power Outage Plunges 130,000 Into Darkness as Substation Fire Sparks City-Wide Chaos

A massive power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, December 20, 2025. Approximately 130,000 customers lost electricity after a fire broke out at a key utility substation. The blackout crippled traffic, halted transit, and forced widespread business closures during the busy holiday weekend.

The incident began in the Mission District and quickly cascaded across the city. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the outage affected roughly 30% of PG&E’s customers in the city, creating a significant public safety and economic crisis.

Fire at Mission District Substation Ignites Widespread Blackout

The crisis originated at the PG&E substation located at 8th and Mission Streets. The San Francisco Fire Department reported a single-alarm fire on the building’s first floor around 2:15 p.m. PG&E employees called 911 after spotting smoke inside the critical infrastructure facility.

Firefighters used specialized equipment to extinguish the blaze safely. Power to the substation was cut, which contributed to the massive, cascading outage. The fire was fully out by 6:00 p.m., but the damage to the city’s power grid was already severe and widespread.

Transit Gridlock and Business Shutdowns Grip the City

The immediate impact was chaos on the streets. Traffic lights failed at countless intersections, leading to major gridlock and hazardous driving conditions. Public transportation systems were severely disrupted, with BART trains bypassing Powell and Civic Center stations due to the lack of power.

The economic toll was steep, especially for small businesses. Restaurants, bars, and shops were forced to close and turn away customers. Landmarks like the California Academy of Sciences and all public library branches shut down. ABC7 News reported that the outage hit at the worst possible time, devastating sales on a crucial pre-holiday Saturday.

The scale of this San Francisco power outage highlights critical vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure. City officials and PG&E now face intense scrutiny as residents and businesses demand answers and more resilient systems for the future.

Thought you’d like to know

When will power be fully restored in San Francisco?

As of late Saturday, PG&E had not provided a clear restoration timeline for all affected areas. The company stated crews were working to assess damage and restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

What caused the substation fire?

The exact cause remains under investigation by PG&E and fire officials. Preliminary reports indicate the fire started inside the substation building, but the specific ignition source has not been publicly identified.

Which neighborhoods were most affected?

Outages were reported across many areas, including the Sunset, Richmond, Haight-Ashbury, and Pacific Heights neighborhoods. The outage map showed a significant portion of the city’s west and central districts without power.

How did the outage affect public transit?

BART and Muni services experienced major disruptions. Key downtown stations were bypassed, and above-ground Muni lines faced delays due to non-functioning traffic signals, creating a ripple effect of travel delays.

What should residents do during an extended outage?

Officials advise using flashlights instead of candles, keeping refrigerator doors closed, and checking on vulnerable neighbors. It is also important to treat all intersections with dead traffic lights as four-way stops.