
Sun Dec 21 02:28:05 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
On Saturday, December 20, 2025, a massive power outage struck San Francisco, affecting approximately 130,000 homes and businesses, roughly one-third of PG&E’s customers in the city. The outage initially impacted the Richmond and Presidio areas, spreading throughout the northern part of the city. The cause of the blackout was initially unknown, but later it was reported to have been a fire inside a PG&E substation. The outage led to widespread closures of businesses, disabled streetlights, and significant transit disruptions, including the closure of some BART and Muni stations. PG&E stated they had stabilized the grid but couldn’t confirm when power would be fully restored.
News Article:
San Francisco Plunged into Darkness as Massive Power Outage Hits 130,000 Customers
SAN FRANCISCO – December 21, 2025 – A massive power outage plunged a significant portion of San Francisco into darkness Saturday, December 20, leaving an estimated 130,000 homes and businesses without electricity. The outage, affecting roughly one-third of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E)’s customers in the city, began in the early afternoon, impacting the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas surrounding Golden Gate Park before spreading further.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management warned of “significant transit disruptions” citywide via social media platform X, urging residents to avoid non-essential travel. Both Muni bus and BART train services were disrupted, with some stations bypassed due to the lack of power.
Local media and social media users reported widespread closures of businesses and restaurants, as well as darkened streetlights and deactivated Christmas decorations.
While the initial cause of the outage remained unclear, officials later indicated that a fire within a PG&E substation at 8th and Mission streets was to blame.
PG&E released a statement at approximately 4 p.m. confirming that the power grid had been stabilized, but stopped short of providing a timeline for full power restoration. The situation continues to be monitored closely.