SAN FRANCISCO — Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 — A massive, fast-moving PG&E power outage swept across San Francisco, leaving roughly one-third of the city without electricity at its peak and triggering cascading disruptions: darkened streetlights and traffic signals, halted or rerouted transit service, and shuttered or cash-only businesses on one of the busiest weekends of the holiday shopping season. [1]
By mid-afternoon, PG&E outage data cited by local outlets showed about 125,016 customers (30.2%) without power, concentrated largely across central and western neighborhoods—including the Sunset and Richmond districts—while officials also confirmed an active fire at a PG&E substation near 8th and Mission that may have contributed to the broader outage picture. [2]
Below is what happened in San Francisco on Dec. 20, 2025, based on the day’s confirmed reports and updates from multiple Bay Area newsrooms and city agencies.
What happened: a rolling outage that spread across San Francisco
Reports indicate the blackout pattern began with a significant outage around 9:40 a.m. that initially hit the Inner Sunset and nearby areas, affecting roughly 14,600–15,000 customers. Not long after, a second major outage followed around 10:10 a.m., expanding impacts into the Richmond District, the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and parts of the city’s downtown/central corridors. [3]
As the day progressed, the outage footprint continued to widen—stretching beyond the west side into additional neighborhoods. By mid-afternoon, outlets reported power issues extending into parts of the Outer Sunset, as well as areas closer to the city’s core such as Hayes Valley, Alamo Square, and portions of the Mission. [4]
Importantly, this was described as an unplanned outage (not a scheduled public-safety shutoff), and PG&E had not immediately provided a definitive public explanation for the initial failures as the situation unfolded. [5]
How many people lost power?
The customer count fluctuated throughout the day as separate outage “pockets” appeared and restoration began in some areas.
- Mid-morning to early afternoon: tens of thousands of customers reported out as the outage expanded from the Inner Sunset into the Richmond/Presidio and beyond. [6]
- Mid-afternoon peak: PG&E’s outage totals cited by local reporting reached roughly 125,016 customers (30.2%) without power as of around 3:20 p.m. [7]
- Mid-afternoon (alternate official estimate): San Francisco Fire Department officials told KTVU the outage was affecting at least 130,000 customers. [8]
- Late night: ABC7 reported 39,520 customers were still without power at its last check. [9]
The key takeaway: the scope was citywide enough that multiple transit systems and public-safety agencies treated it as a major event, even as restoration began in select pockets.
Where the outage hit hardest: neighborhoods across the west side and beyond
The outage map and local reports repeatedly highlighted impacts across San Francisco’s west and central corridor, including:
- Sunset District (Inner and Outer)
- Richmond District (Inner and Outer)
- Presidio and nearby areas
- Golden Gate Park / Panhandle
- Parts of West of Twin Peaks
- Portions of Western Addition and downtown areas [10]
Later reports also referenced outages spreading into parts of Hayes Valley, Alamo Square, and the Mission. [11]
Transit disruptions: BART station closures and Muni subway bypasses
The blackout was not just an inconvenience for homes—it quickly became a transportation problem.
BART impacts
BART service was disrupted in San Francisco’s core, with reports that Powell Street and Civic Center stations were closed or bypassed due to the PG&E outage. [12]
Muni Metro impacts
San Francisco’s subway-style Muni Metro service also changed operations. Local reports said the Muni underground was bypassing Powell, Civic Center, and Van Ness stations because of power issues. [13]
Commuters described a familiar blackout reality: darkened station areas, disabled escalators, and non-functioning fare gates in affected locations. [14]
Public safety: dark traffic signals and a warning not to call 911 for outages
With streetlights and traffic signals knocked offline, city officials and emergency managers pushed safety guidance quickly.
- Drivers were warned that traffic lights could be out and should be treated as four-way stops at affected intersections. [15]
- San Francisco officials also urged residents not to call 911 just to report a power outage—unless it was a life-safety emergency, emphasizing that emergency lines needed to stay open for urgent calls. [16]
The city’s message was blunt: in a dense, walkable city with heavy weekend traffic, dark intersections can quickly become a serious hazard.
Possible cause: a PG&E substation fire near 8th and Mission
While PG&E had not immediately confirmed a single cause for the citywide outage, officials confirmed an incident that stood out as a major red flag: a fire at a PG&E substation near 8th and Mission Streets.
According to reporting from The San Francisco Standard, the San Francisco Fire Department received a call about the substation fire at 2:16 p.m., and by the afternoon the fire was reported 80% contained, with no injuries or structural damage. [17]
KTVU also reported that the outage was possibly related to a PG&E substation fire in the same area, with firefighters working to shut off power in the immediate area so crews could fight the flames. [18]
At the same time, multiple outlets stressed that PG&E had not yet provided a complete public explanation for the initial morning outages, meaning the fire may have been one contributor to a broader, still-evolving incident chain. [19]
Restoration timeline: what PG&E estimated during the day
Restoration estimates varied by neighborhood and outage cluster, reflecting just how fragmented the blackout became.
- By early afternoon, PG&E estimates cited by local outlets suggested some areas could return around 3:45 p.m., while others might not be restored until early evening (around 7:15 p.m.). [20]
- The San Francisco Chronicle reported that for some areas (including parts of the Presidio and Richmond), PG&E estimated restoration between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., while other outages were expected to last well into the night. [21]
- KTVU similarly reported a 3:45 p.m. estimate for some areas, with unknown restoration timing for others. [22]
By late night, the remaining outage count (still in the tens of thousands) suggested that even with partial restoration, the event was not a quick “blip” for everyone affected. [23]
Holiday weekend impact: shopping, small businesses, and a city running on contingency plans
Timing mattered. Dec. 20 is one of the last high-traffic weekends before Christmas, and the outage hit neighborhoods packed with small retailers, restaurants, and cafes.
Local reporting noted the disruption’s economic sting—especially for small businesses that rely on card payments, refrigeration, lighting, and foot traffic. For some corridors, the outage effectively forced a switch to cash-only or led to early closures. [24]
Meanwhile, for residents, the outage created immediate household concerns: food safety, device charging, home heating, and caring for family members who depend on powered medical equipment—an issue emergency managers often highlight during major blackouts, even when the outage isn’t weather-related.
Weather context: rain and wind in the forecast
The outage also unfolded with wet weather on the horizon. Reports noted rain was forecast Saturday night with wind gusts up to about 25 mph, and continued unsettled conditions expected in the days ahead. [25]
That matters because storms can complicate repairs, slow restoration work, and increase safety risks (downed trees, slick roads, and more collisions at dark intersections).
What to do during a San Francisco power outage
If you’re in a blackout zone during an event like this, the most practical steps are straightforward:
- Treat dark intersections as four-way stops (and be extra cautious as a pedestrian or cyclist).
- Avoid calling 911 to report a power outage unless there’s an immediate life-safety emergency. [26]
- Check PG&E’s outage updates (and consider signing up for alerts during prolonged events).
- Keep refrigerator/freezer doors closed as much as possible to preserve food.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to reduce fire risk.
- Charge backup batteries and conserve phone power in case restoration takes longer than expected.
Bottom line
San Francisco’s Dec. 20, 2025 PG&E outage was significant not only for the sheer number of customers impacted—around 125,000 at peak—but for the knock-on effects that followed: BART station disruptions, Muni subway bypasses, widespread traffic-signal failures, and a confirmed substation fire that responders said likely played a role. [27]
As the day ended, tens of thousands of customers still lacked power, underscoring how complex the restoration effort can be when a city’s outage footprint spreads from neighborhood clusters into critical downtown and transit infrastructure. [28]
References
1. sfstandard.com, 2. sfstandard.com, 3. www.ktvu.com, 4. www.sfchronicle.com, 5. www.cbsnews.com, 6. www.sfchronicle.com, 7. sfstandard.com, 8. www.ktvu.com, 9. abc7news.com, 10. www.cbsnews.com, 11. www.sfchronicle.com, 12. www.cbsnews.com, 13. sfstandard.com, 14. www.ktvu.com, 15. www.sfgate.com, 16. abc7news.com, 17. sfstandard.com, 18. www.ktvu.com, 19. www.cbsnews.com, 20. www.sfgate.com, 21. www.sfchronicle.com, 22. www.ktvu.com, 23. abc7news.com, 24. sfist.com, 25. www.sfgate.com, 26. abc7news.com, 27. sfstandard.com, 28. abc7news.com
