A major power outage hit San Francisco Saturday, cutting electricity to about 130,000 homes and businesses after a fire at a PG&E substation near 8th and Mission. The blaze caused 'significant and extensive' damage, and PG&E warned restoration would be complex. Autonomous vehicles stalled at dark intersections, prompting Waymo to pause its service, while city officials warned of transit disruptions and urged motorists to treat dark signals as four-way stops. By 7:30 a.m. Sunday, crews had restored power to roughly 110,000 customers, with about 21,000 still affected.
San Francisco Blackout Leaves About 130,000 Without Power; Self-Driving Cars Stall and Waymo Pauses Service
San Francisco power outage puts 130,000 in the dark, as self-driving car service stops vehicles in the street
A widespread power outage plunged large portions of San Francisco into darkness Saturday, cutting electricity to roughly 130,000 homes and businesses and leaving autonomous vehicles stranded at intersections.
Fog and power outages darken the skyline as traffic moves in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) initially did not identify a definitive cause for the outages, which affected roughly one-third of the utility's San Francisco customers. Fire officials posted on X at about 3:15 p.m. that at least some outages were linked to a fire inside a PG&E substation at 8th and Mission streets.
A Waymo vehicle sits idling at an intersection with no operating traffic lights due to power outages, in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
Scope and Impact
The outage first darkened neighborhoods on the city's north side, including the Richmond and Presidio districts and areas around Golden Gate Park, before spreading to other parts of the city. Autonomous vehicles reportedly stalled in intersections after failing to detect nonworking traffic signals, contributing to traffic congestion and safety concerns.
A bicyclist drives past headlights from an oncoming vehicle as power outages darken the streets, in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
Responses and Restoration Efforts
PG&E said in a Sunday morning update that the fire caused 'significant and extensive' damage to the substation and that repairs and restoration would be 'complex.' The company added, 'At this time, we are unable to provide a precise timeframe for full restoration but will provide additional detail and information as our assessment and repair efforts continue.' Crews worked through the night to restore service.
As of 7:30 a.m. Sunday, PG&E reported that crews had restored power to about 110,000 customers, leaving roughly 21,000 still without electricity—primarily in the Presidio, Richmond District, Golden Gate Park and small areas of downtown San Francisco.
Transit and Public Safety
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management warned of 'significant transit disruptions' and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel. Officials advised drivers to treat dark traffic signals as four-way stops to reduce the risk of collisions.
Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing company, temporarily suspended its service in the Bay Area while monitoring infrastructure stability and coordinating with city officials. In a statement to news outlets, Waymo said its teams were working to restore services as conditions allowed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
