San Francisco Blackout Halts Tech Hub: 130,000 Homes Lose Power After Substation Fire

• A massive blackout struck San Francisco, USA, affecting approximately 130,000 homes and businesses, roughly one-third of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers.
• The power outage began with two incidents around 9:40 AM and 10:10 AM local time on Saturday, expanding to a large-scale disruption.
• A fire at a PG&E substation on Saturday afternoon was identified by the San Francisco Fire Department as the cause of the widespread power cut.
• The blackout led to the closure of mass transit stations, suspension of driverless car services, and cancellation of the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker show.
• PG&E was working with first responders but could not provide an estimated time for power restoration by Saturday evening; an investigation into the fire's role is underway.

Why It Matters: San Francisco's tech hub faced a major blackout affecting 130,000, caused by a PG&E substation fire.