Power Outage Strikes San Francisco’s Richmond District as Utility Conducts Inspections

A PG&E outage occurred in San Francisco’s Richmond District on January 2, 2026. The utility reported that 3,473 customers had their power restored early Friday evening.

The outage lasted about 90 minutes. PG&E stated it was due to a circuit serving customers in the area. The circuit returned to normal operations by 5:15 p.m. PG&E explained that the outage was linked to maintenance work being conducted in the area.

Earlier that day, PG&E sent a text message to customers acknowledging a significant blackout on December 20, which affected a third of the city for an extended period. The message indicated that crews would be inspecting underground electrical equipment over the next 10 days.

PG&E also mentioned using drones to inspect overhead equipment. They assured customers that all electric equipment is regularly inspected for safety and compliance with regulations. However, the utility did not foresee any power outages from these inspections, which did not hold true with the recent outage.

The December 20 blackout was caused by a fire at a substation located at Mission and 8th streets. In response, the city offered affected customers a $200 credit on their bills and $2,500 for impacted businesses. Many residents and business owners expressed frustration, stating these amounts were insufficient.

Since the major blackout, San Francisco has experienced several power outages, some attributed to inclement weather. On New Year’s Eve, PG&E apologized for repeated service interruptions in the Richmond District.

This latest outage coincided with a storm bringing high winds and rain to the city. A high wind advisory is in effect from 1 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Saturday.