San Francisco power outage: Thousands to remain without electricity overnight? Latest update

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management has shared an update on the massive outage, saying power is being restored in some areas.

Published on: Dec 21, 2025, 12:49:36 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management has shared an update on the massive power outage, saying power is being restored in some areas. However, it also cited Pacific Gas & Electric as saying that about 40,000 customers may remain without electricity overnight.

Vehicles move slowly in traffic as power outages darken the streets, in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (AP)

“Power is being restored in many parts of San Francisco, but PG&E says about 40,000 customers may remain without electricity overnight,” the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management wrote on X.

It advised residents who are without power to use flashlights instead of candles to reduce fire risk, keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as they can, and keep space heaters at least 3 feet from anything flammable while using them.

“Check on neighbors, especially seniors and people with medical needs,” the post added, urging residents to call 911 “only for life-threatening emergencies.”

What we know so far

Sweeping power outages across large areas of San Francisco have left about 130,000 customers without electricity on Saturday, December 20. Officials have been unable to provide a specific time for when power will be restored. Pacific Gas & Electric simply said in an X post that “ restoration is possible later today, though we are not able to confirm just yet.”

Daniel Lurie, Mayor of San Francisco, said in a statement on X, “As we head into the night, PG&E has restored power to 90,000 customers, but there are still about 40,000 customers without power.” “Stay safe and look out for one another,” he added.

PG&E has not confirmed a cause for the massive outages, but the San Francisco Fire Department said that there is an ongoing fire at a PG&E substation at 8th and Mission Streets. SFFD received a call about the fire at 2:16 pm on Saturday, SFFD Lieutenant Mariano Elias said, as reported by The San Francisco Standard. The fire is 80% contained, with no injuries or structural damage reported.

“I’m sure [the fire] has a contributing factor as to why the power is out in the city,” Elias said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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