Thousands of PG&E customers in San Francisco faced power outages on Saturday. Initially, over 130,000 homes and businesses were affected. The outages started around 9:40 a.m. in the Inner Sunset neighborhood and quickly spread to the Richmond District, Golden Gate Park, and downtown areas.
By the time PG&E crews began assessing the situation around 2 p.m., reports indicated that a fire at the PG&E substation at 8th and Mission might be a significant cause of the blackout. Supervisor Matt Dorsey noted that this substation had a similar issue back in December 2003, which impacted around 120,000 customers.
While PG&E estimated that power would return for most customers by 3:45 p.m., scattered outages persisted well into the evening. Rain and wind were forecasted for later that day, potentially complicating repair efforts.
The outage also disrupted public transport. BART closed specific stations, and Muni trains had limited service, affecting many commuters. Users on social media expressed their frustrations, sharing their experiences of being stranded or late for commitments due to the power loss and transit interruptions.
The city’s emergency management urged residents not to call 911 for power-related issues unless there was an immediate health threat. This directive highlights a broader concern about emergency phone line misuse during crises, an ongoing challenge in urban areas.
According to a recent survey by the Edison Electric Institute, power outages are becoming more frequent, with many respondents feeling ill-prepared. This statistic highlights the need for better preparedness among residents.
Downtown San Francisco also experienced heavy traffic due to non-functioning traffic lights. As local authorities advised treating intersections as four-way stops, gridlock worsened, affecting businesses and events like a planned matinee of Moulin Rouge at the Orpheum Theatre, which had to be canceled.
Power outages can disrupt daily life significantly, revealing vulnerabilities in infrastructure and service reliability. This situation underscores the importance of improving and maintaining electrical systems, especially in densely populated urban centers like San Francisco.
For more details about PG&E outages, visit their official page here. Additionally, traffic updates can be found through the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.
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