San Francisco power outage disrupts transportation and public life
The city of San Francisco in the United States experienced a difficult and dark night, as a sudden and widespread power outage caused severe disruption to public life, directly affecting tens of thousands of residents and leading to significant disruptions to the city's transportation network and infrastructure.
Details of the power outage
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the region's main power provider, announced that power was cut off to approximately 130,000 customers across San Francisco on Saturday night. Emergency crews immediately began working to contain the outage, and the company had restored power to about 90,000 homes by 9:00 PM local time (5:00 AM GMT), according to an official statement.
The company confirmed in its statement that field operations are continuing to restore power to the remaining subscribers, numbering about 40,000, during the night hours, noting that the top priority is to ensure the safety of the network and citizens during the repair operations.
Causes of the accident and statements from officials
Explaining the cause of the widespread outage, local official Daniel Lawrie stated that initial investigations indicate a fire broke out at a power substation, causing it to go offline and impacting the connected grid. This type of incident presents a significant challenge for firefighting and maintenance crews, especially given the unstable weather conditions.
Lori posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing him in the darkness, delivering a warning message to residents: "It's raining, and it's late at night. If you don't have an urgent need to go out, it's best to stay home for your safety." After a partial restoration of power, Lori added: "It's a noticeable improvement. We want to reassure those who still haven't had their electricity restored that their safety is guaranteed, and we urge everyone to check on their neighbors, especially the elderly.".
Impact of the outage on infrastructure and traffic
The power outage affected not only homes but also the city's vital infrastructure. Traffic lights stopped working at many major intersections, creating a dangerous environment for both drivers and pedestrians. In response, traffic police were deployed in large numbers to the streets to manually direct traffic and compensate for the lack of lights to prevent accidents.
Public transport also experienced disruptions to its schedules and operations, prompting authorities to repeatedly urge citizens to avoid travel except when absolutely necessary.
Broader context: California's energy challenges
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges facing California's power grid. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is one of the largest utilities in the United States, and its infrastructure frequently faces significant strain from various factors, including extreme weather, wildfires, and the aging of parts of the grid.
Such incidents in a city the size and importance of San Francisco—a global center for technology and the economy—resonate widely, as the power outage highlights how much smart, modern cities depend on stable energy supplies, and how a technical malfunction at a substation can paralyze an entire city for hours.
