Thousands Lose Power Amid Sacramento Thunderstorms

SMUD reports widespread outages affecting over 28,000 customers.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:45am

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting a dramatic thunderstorm rolling over a suburban neighborhood, with power lines and utility poles dwarfed by the scale of the swirling clouds and dramatic lighting, conveying the overwhelming power of nature.A powerful thunderstorm overwhelms a suburban neighborhood, exposing the vulnerability of the local power grid.Today in Sacramento

Thousands of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) customers are without power in the Sacramento area as thunderstorms hit the region. SMUD has reported over 28,000 customers impacted by widespread unplanned outages, with the Arden and Florin neighborhoods being the most heavily affected areas.

Why it matters

Severe weather events like thunderstorms can cause significant power disruptions, impacting homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. The extent of these outages highlights the vulnerability of the local power grid and the importance of grid resilience and emergency preparedness.

The details

According to SMUD's website, the utility has not listed a specific cause for the outages, which are marked as 'unplanned'. As of 7:30 pm, the Arden and Florin areas have been the most heavily affected, combining for over 17,000 customers without power. Restoration times vary depending on the location of the outages.

  • The widespread power outages began on April 12, 2026 around 7:30 pm.

The players

SMUD

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the public utility that provides electricity to the Sacramento region.

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What’s next

SMUD is working to restore power to affected customers, and the utility has encouraged residents to monitor its outage map for updates on restoration times.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the need for continued investment in grid modernization and disaster preparedness to ensure reliable power during extreme weather events, which are expected to become more frequent due to climate change.