Over 40,000 San Francisco Customers Affected by PG&E Power Outages

Widespread blackouts disrupt daily life, raising concerns about grid reliability

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:33am by

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting in muted tones of grey, blue, and gold, depicting a vast, ominous storm system dominating the skyline and dwarfing the small city below, conveying a sense of the sublime power of nature.A dramatic, atmospheric landscape painting captures the overwhelming power of nature as a massive storm system looms over the city, underscoring the fragility of urban infrastructure in the face of unpredictable weather events.San Francisco Today

A series of unexpected power outages left over 40,000 residents and businesses in San Francisco without electricity on April 11, 2026. The first outage affected over 14,600 customers in the Inner Sunset and Forest Hill areas, while a second outage impacted the Presidio, Richmond, and parts of Market Street, leaving more than 24,800 customers in the dark. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency had to divert Muni trains, and the Department of Emergency Management issued a warning for drivers to treat all dark traffic signals as four-way stops.

Why it matters

The widespread and prolonged nature of these outages has sparked discussions about the resilience of San Francisco's power infrastructure and the potential need for enhanced preparedness. While some experts argue the outages could indicate underlying grid issues, others suggest the cause may be unrelated, raising questions about the city's ability to withstand and respond to such disruptions.

The details

The first outage was reported around 9:40 a.m., affecting a substantial area from the Inner Sunset to Forest Hill. A second outage occurred around 10:10 a.m., further exacerbating the situation by impacting the Presidio, Richmond, and parts of Market Street. As of 2 p.m., PG&E estimated power restoration would take place between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., but the cause of the outages remained unknown. Several smaller outages were also reported in other parts of west San Francisco, with PG&E estimating restoration between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

  • The first outage was reported around 9:40 a.m.
  • A second outage occurred around 10:10 a.m.
  • As of 2 p.m., PG&E estimated power restoration would take place between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.
  • Several smaller outages were reported in other parts of west San Francisco, with PG&E estimating restoration between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The players

PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the utility provider responsible for the power grid in San Francisco.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

The agency that had to divert Muni trains due to the power outage.

San Francisco Department of Emergency Management

The department that issued a warning for drivers to treat all dark traffic signals as four-way stops.

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The takeaway

This incident has raised concerns about the reliability of San Francisco's power infrastructure and the need for enhanced preparedness to handle such disruptions. The debate over the root causes of the outages highlights the complexities involved in maintaining a resilient power grid in a major metropolitan area.