Full Breakdown
Severe Storms Leave Tens of Thousands Without Power Across San Antonio
8/30/2026, 9:23:36 PM
Storm Damage and Outages
Friday night’s summer storm produced straight-line winds of 50-65 mph, with radar-estimated pockets of 75 mph and a recorded gust of 77 mph at San Antonio International Airport. The winds downed trees, snapped power poles and ripped traffic-light supports along a corridor from northeast to southwest Bexar County. Damage included torn building walls, a collapsed Texaco canopy, and roof loss at a Salvation Army facility.
Scope of the Outage and Restoration Efforts
At the storm’s peak, roughly 250,000 CPS Energy customers lost electricity. By Saturday afternoon the outage map showed 673 active outages affecting 62,003 customers, down from a high of 112,000. As of Sunday morning fewer than 20,000 customers remained without power. CPS Energy has added crews from Pedernales Electric Cooperative, nearly doubling its usual restoration capacity, and is prioritizing large-area outages before moving to smaller, more complex damage sites. The utility urges residents to keep refrigerator doors closed and to treat all downed lines as live.
Official Responses and Community Support
Interim CPS Energy President and CEO Frank Almaraz warned that some outages could last several days and urged residents to activate emergency plans. Deputy City Manager María Villagómez asked customers to report debris or damage via 311 and emphasized assistance for vulnerable residents. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones announced that city libraries and park centers would serve as cooling centers, with pets permitted, and that VIA Metropolitan Transit would provide free rides to these sites. Interim Police Chief Jesse Salame confirmed investigations into two possible flood-related drownings linked to the storm’s heavy rain.
Verbatim Quote
“We have down lines, broken poles and fallen trees. Some of these outages are going to extend several days,” — Frank Almaraz, president and CEO — Frank Almaraz, president and CEO
