PG&E plans overnight outages near Civic Center and Richmond District

Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced planned preventative outages in San Francisco this week as crews complete final testing and repairs following a large December outage tied to damaged substation equipment. The company said the outages are targeted and time-limited, but city officials are watching closely and have scheduled oversight.

The first outage will begin shortly after midnight on Monday, Jan. 19, and will affect about 3,600 customers in and around the Civic Center area. PG&E estimated that restoration could take up to 12 hours for those customers. A second outage is scheduled to start shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 20, impacting roughly 14,000 customers in the Richmond District for an estimated two-hour window.

City supervisors and local officials are monitoring PG&E’s work and have signaled heightened scrutiny after the December disruption. PG&E has agreed to participate in an upcoming hearing to explain the cause of the December outages and its response. The hearing will provide an opportunity for elected officials to press for timelines, contingency plans, and assurances that systems are secure ahead of potential future weather or equipment events.

For residents and businesses in the affected neighborhoods, the planned windows mean overnight power interruptions that could extend into the morning. Civic Center hosts many government buildings and community services, while the Richmond District is home to dense residential blocks and small businesses; both areas will need to assess how up-to-12-hour and two-hour outages could affect morning routines, refrigeration, lighting, and phone or internet-powered devices.

City emergency management and community groups typically advise direct preparations: charge essential devices, plan for medical needs that require power, secure perishable goods, and review backup power or alternate work arrangements. PG&E will release localized outage maps and restoration updates as the events approach and during the outages; residents should watch official PG&E alerts and city notices for the most current information.

The scheduled outages reflect the final phase of repair and testing work after the substation damage that disrupted service in December. For San Francisco, the events underline continuing infrastructure vulnerability and the necessity of clear communication and oversight between utility providers and city officials. City leaders’ upcoming hearing will be the next major check on how PG&E documents the root cause, the repair timeline, and steps to reduce risks of repeat incidents.

Prepare now for the scheduled overnight windows and expect public updates; the hearings and PG&E’s forthcoming reports will determine whether the utility’s fixes restore confidence for customers across the county.