San Francisco Residents Demand More Support After PG&E Outage

A significant power outage that left parts of San Francisco’s west side in darkness for nearly 50 hours has prompted residents, particularly in the Sunset and Richmond Districts, to call for more substantial support from PG&E. The outage occurred just before important winter holidays, affecting many vulnerable community members, including seniors and small business owners.

Although the Sunset District appeared to return to normal by Friday morning, community leaders expressed frustration over the ongoing struggles faced by residents. Many, particularly seniors and immigrants, found themselves isolated and lacking information during the outage.

David Lee, Executive Director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee, highlighted the difficulties faced by many elderly residents. “We have a lot of seniors who live here in the Sunset District. When the power went out, they were really struggling,” he said. “Many don’t speak English, and they didn’t know where to turn.”

In the nearby Richmond District, Myron Lee shared that his family endured nearly 50 hours without power, which had a profound impact on their well-being. “Dad needs machines to clear his airways when he sleeps, so he wasn’t sleeping at night,” he stated. The power outage also hampered neighbors’ attempts to check on each other, as security gates and lack of power made communication challenging.

Many residents reported that limited cell service further complicated their ability to seek help or share information about available resources. “A lot of monolingual Chinese in this area received no information,” Myron Lee explained. He was eventually able to find resources at the Richmond Recreation Center, but many others remained unaware of the assistance available.

The timing of the outage exacerbated the situation for many families, particularly those preparing for Dongzhi, or the Winter Solstice, a holiday celebrated with large family meals. “It was a total loss for the business owners,” Myron Lee said, referring to the inventory spoiled during the outage. “Their supplies, their food, completely stocked up with seafood and everything they needed for a busy winter solstice.”

Community advocates reported that many small, family-run businesses had invested heavily in holiday inventory, only to see it spoiled due to the outage. In response to the disruption, PG&E offered a $200 bill credit to affected residents and up to $2,500 for businesses that lost inventory or revenue. Yet, many community members feel these amounts do not adequately address their losses.

“Let’s start by increasing the credit that people are getting because $200 doesn’t cut it,” David Lee urged. “And let’s make sure businesses get the recovery they need.” He expressed concern that many in the elderly, immigrant Chinese community would struggle to navigate the claims process for additional compensation.

In a statement to ABC7 News, PG&E acknowledged the challenges faced by the community and indicated that customers could pursue a separate claims process for other compensation. PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian noted that the Mission Substation, where the outage originated, is now safe and stable. Several generators have been deployed at substations to provide temporary power to those still affected.

“We are working on a case-by-case basis to support customers living near the generators,” Sarkissian stated. Additionally, PG&E representatives were present at the Richmond Center to answer questions in Chinese, and further outreach efforts in the community are planned.

As the city of San Francisco grapples with the aftermath of the power outage, residents and community leaders hope for improved measures to support vulnerable populations during such emergencies. David Lee emphasized the need for the city to maintain a list of the most vulnerable residents to ensure proper check-ins and assistance in future crises. “I hope the city is preparing for the next blackout,” he said.