PG&E Power Outage Forces San Francisco to Discard Food

San Francisco faced significant challenges over the weekend due to a major power outage caused by a fire at PG&E’s Mission Substation. This incident left approximately one-third of the city without electricity, affecting over 130,000 customers and disrupting daily life ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Details of the Outage

The power outage began on Saturday, impacting local businesses and residents alike. As of Sunday afternoon, around 13,000 customers were still without power, though most areas had electricity restored. PG&E officials reported no evidence of sabotage and are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Impact on Local Businesses

The power outage severely impacted small businesses, particularly those in the food industry. Business owners reported significant losses due to spoiled perishable goods. Notably, Spiros Johnson, owner of 25th and Clement Produce Market, stated that he had to dispose of thousands of dollars in inventory. Many other businesses, including ice cream shops, faced similar fates.

• Food Disposals: Residents and businesses discarded large amounts of food, causing frustration just before the holidays.
• Revenue Loss: Local businesses may see revenue loss in the hundreds of thousands of dollars due to weekend closures.
• Community Support: Some businesses sought help from the neighborhood to prevent food waste.

Public Reaction

The blackout created an unsettling atmosphere in affected neighborhoods, leading to expressions of disbelief from residents. One resident noted the shocking nature of such an outage in modern times, highlighting a growing concern among the community.

Restoration Efforts and Future Steps

By Sunday afternoon, restoration efforts were underway, with power returning to parts of the Richmond District. Mayor Daniel Lurie toured the affected areas and emphasized the significant disruption caused by the outage. He indicated that post-incident meetings with PG&E would be necessary to address the substation fire.

Claims for Losses

PG&E encouraged businesses that incurred losses to file claims, provided they submit documentation of their destroyed inventory. Such efforts may help mitigate the financial impact of this incident on local enterprises.

As the community begins to recover, residents and business owners hope for a return to normalcy. The outage underscored the vulnerabilities in urban utility infrastructure and raised questions about preventative measures moving forward.