A significant power failure plunged large sections of San Francisco into darkness on Saturday, December 20, 2025, leaving an estimated 130,000 customers without electricity. The outage, reported in the evening, has caused widespread disruption across the city.
Scope and Immediate Impact of the Blackout
The outage was reported at approximately 9:28 PM Eastern Standard Time. While the exact cause is under investigation by utility providers, the scale suggests a major failure within the local power distribution network. Residents and businesses across multiple neighborhoods found themselves suddenly without power, impacting everything from home heating and lighting to traffic signals and commercial operations.
Emergency services were likely placed on high alert as streetlights went dark and buildings lost power. The outage occurred on a Saturday evening, a peak time for weekend activities and holiday preparations, amplifying the inconvenience for tens of thousands of people.
Response and Restoration Efforts
Crews from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), the primary utility serving the region, were immediately dispatched to locate the source of the failure and begin restoration work. The priority for utility teams is to assess damage, ensure public safety around downed lines, and restore power to critical infrastructure such as hospitals and emergency response centers first.
Given the magnitude of the outage affecting 130,000 accounts, full restoration could be a multi-hour process. Utility companies typically follow a protocol where they repair transmission lines and substations serving the largest number of customers before addressing smaller, localized issues.
Broader Context and Community Safety
Power outages in California have drawn increased scrutiny in recent years due to the state's vulnerability to wildfires, some of which have been sparked by electrical equipment. While the cause of this specific San Francisco outage is unknown, it highlights the critical importance of resilient infrastructure in major urban centers.
Authorities advise residents affected by the blackout to use flashlights instead of candles to prevent fire hazards, to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to preserve food, and to check on vulnerable neighbors. Those relying on electronic medical equipment should have backup power plans in place.
As crews work through the night, the city awaits updates on when power will be fully restored to all affected areas of San Francisco.
