Residents affected by the power outage wait in line to get supplies in San Francisco, California, the United States, Dec. 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city.
According to PG&E's website, the first outage was reported at around 9:40 a.m. (1740 GMT), cutting electricity to approximately 15,000 residential and commercial customers.
A second outage began around 10:10 a.m. (1810 GMT), with PG&E's online outage map initially showing that about 25,000 customers were affected.
The company later updated the map, indicating that the scope of the outages continued to expand.
The San Francisco Fire Department said that a fire broke out inside a PG&E substation in the city on Saturday afternoon, triggering at least some of the power outages.
In a post on social platform X, PG&E said it was "working with first responders and city officials on an outage in San Francisco affecting 130,000 customers."
As of 5:30 p.m. (0130 GMT Sunday), a PG&E spokesperson said the company was still unable to provide an estimated time for the restoration of power in any part of the city. ■
Staff members restore traffic lights at an intersection affected by the power outage in San Francisco, California, the United States, Dec. 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
People get supplies from a community resource center for residents affected by the power outage in San Francisco, California, the United States on Dec 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Residents affected by the power outage are pictured at a community resource center in San Francisco, California, the United States on Dec 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Dec. 21, 2025 shows a neighborhood affected by the power outage in San Francisco, California, the United States. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Residents affected by the power outage are pictured at a community resource center in San Francisco, California, the United States on Dec 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Residents affected by the power outage are pictured at a community resource center in San Francisco, California, the United States on Dec 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Dec. 21, 2025 shows a neighborhood affected by the power outage in San Francisco, California, the United States. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Residents affected by the power outage are pictured at a community resource center in San Francisco, California, the United States on Dec 21, 2025. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Dec. 21, 2025 shows a neighborhood affected by the power outage in San Francisco, California, the United States. A large-scale power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday, affecting about 130,000 households and businesses, or roughly one-third of all customers served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the city. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)