Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

California legalizes plug-in balcony solar without utility approval

Opposed SB 868

California renters and apartment dwellers can now plug small solar panels into wall outlets without utility permission. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Plug and Play Solar Act on Sept. 30, legalizing 'balcony solar' systems up to 1,200 watts and making California the 10th state to do so.

Updated Yesterday

Ferry Building outage darkens San Francisco waterfront during commute

Built World

Operator of San Francisco's electric grid, facing city takeover attempt

The San Francisco Ferry Building went dark at 6:42 a.m. Wednesday, cutting power to 455 customers and knocking out traffic lights along the Embarcadero during the morning commute. Power was fully restored by 10 a.m., but PG&E says the cause remains under investigation.

Updated Sep 30

Lawsuit challenges fast-track approval for Marina Safeway housing plan

Rule Changes

Named as defendant in the federal lawsuit over the Marina Safeway site

A new San Francisco housing group filed a federal lawsuit on September 16 to stop an 848-apartment project at the Marina District Safeway. The suit says the city misused Assembly Bill 2011, a state housing streamlining law, to fast-track the project without environmental review, and that the site is contaminated by decades of industrial use including a former manufactured gas plant.

Updated Sep 16

California wildfire liability deal collapses as Assembly kills vote

Rule Changes

Warned the deal could push it into bankruptcy

A hard-won compromise to reshape California's wildfire liability system collapsed on the final day of the legislative session. The state Assembly never brought Senate Bill 492 to a vote, after PG&E and Southern California Edison warned the deal could push them into bankruptcy.

Updated Sep 4

San Francisco went dark—and the same substation has burned before

Built World

Completed full restoration Dec 24; announced $50M compensation; hired independent investigator; facing mayoral criticism and investigation scrutiny

San Francisco is the kind of city that feels unstoppable—until the lights go out. On Saturday, a substation fire near 8th and Mission helped trigger a blackout that spread across neighborhoods and knocked out traffic signals. Restoration took more than two days and sparked political backlash and raised questions about whether a modern city can tolerate single-point failures in critical infrastructure.

Updated May 16