San Francisco Seeks State Probe Into PG&E Substation Fire and Blackouts

City officials demand investigation into recurring power outages and PG&E's failure to provide reliable service.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:40am by Ben Kaplan

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San Francisco officials, including the mayor, city attorney, and utility commission leaders, have written a letter to PG&E's parent company CEO demanding a formal state investigation into the December 2025 substation fire and resulting mass power outages that left over 130,000 homes and businesses without electricity for days. The city cites a history of major blackouts and substation issues with PG&E, and wants regulators to compel the utility to improve its service and response.

Why it matters

The December blackouts highlighted ongoing reliability issues with PG&E's infrastructure in San Francisco, which has long had a contentious relationship with the utility. The city is seeking a thorough public investigation to uncover the root causes and force PG&E to make necessary improvements to prevent future widespread outages that disrupt residents and businesses.

The details

In the letter, San Francisco officials stated that the December 20th substation fire left about a third of the city without power, with some areas experiencing persistent outages for weeks. They accused PG&E of lacking essential information about its own equipment and facilities, and providing inaccurate and untimely information to customers and public officials during the crisis. The city believes a formal state investigation by the California Public Utilities Commission can compel PG&E to ensure reliable service and fully implement necessary improvements.

  • The December 20, 2025 substation fire caused widespread blackouts across San Francisco.
  • San Francisco officials sent the letter to PG&E's parent company CEO on Thursday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Daniel Lurie

The mayor of San Francisco.

David Chiu

The city attorney of San Francisco.

Rafael Mandelman

The president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Dennis Herrera

The general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Patti Poppe

The CEO of PG&E Corporation, the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric.

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What they’re saying

“We intend to ask the California Public Utilities Commission to open an investigation into the recent events, with attention to the recurring nature of PG&E's failure to provide safe and reliable service in San Francisco.”

— Daniel Lurie, David Chiu, Rafael Mandelman, Dennis Herrera, San Francisco city officials (Letter to PG&E)

“This was unacceptable, and the impact it had on our customers and their frustration is not lost on us.”

— Sumeet Singh, Head of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. operating subsidiary (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The California Public Utilities Commission has indicated its staff investigation into the December 2025 PG&E outages is ongoing, and a formal investigation proceeding is expected to be opened in response to the city's request.

The takeaway

San Francisco's push for a thorough state investigation reflects the city's long-standing frustrations with PG&E's reliability issues and its desire to compel the utility to make necessary improvements to its infrastructure and emergency response capabilities to prevent future widespread blackouts that disrupt residents and businesses.