Geese knocked out power to most of Treasure Island’s 2,000 or so residents, according to Robert Beck, head of the Treasure Island Development Authority, which owns the affected infrastructure.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management tweeted at 4:47 p.m. about the power outage and that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is investigating the cause.
As of 6 p.m., there was no estimated time of restoration.
ALERTSF: There is an electrical power outage in the area of Treasure Island. SFPUC is investigating the cause at the outage location.. Estimated time of restoration: To be Determined. All impacted traffic lights should be treated as four-way stops. Crews a https://t.co/mdYfqA301z
— San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (@SF_emergency) July 24, 2023
Beck also said that there was an outage earlier in the day affecting the same area around 6:30 a.m. that lasted roughly two hours. Both were caused by geese flying into an overhead line.
“It’s a frequent cause of outages here,” Beck said.
Other common causes include fallen trees and aging electrical equipment, he added.
The electrical grid affected by both outages is overseen by the SFPUC, which contracts through the island’s development agency. PG&E does not own or maintain the older electrical infrastructure, which dates back to the island’s time as a U.S. Navy base more than 25 years ago.
Power outages happen frequently on Treasure Island, with nearly 500 occurring since 1997 according to treasureislandsfpoweroutages.com. There have been more than 10 in 2023 alone, per the website. Island resident Barklee Sanders, who runs the website, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Beck said that the newer electrical infrastructure being built along with the new planned housing for the island—much of which is underground—was not affected by either outage.
As part of the island’s redevelopment with thousands of housing units, the old electrical infrastructure will be replaced, Beck said.
During a power outage, the Department of Emergency Management recommends doing the following:
- Check on your neighbors, friends and family who may need assistance during the outage.
- Make sure food stays cold by keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed. You can keep the refrigerator cold by placing ice in plastic containers and keeping them inside.
- Notify your alarm company if you have an alarm system as equipment can be affected by power outages.
- If you are experiencing a medical, police, or fire emergency call 911.
The SFPUC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.