• More than 1,100 Pepco customers lost power in Foggy Bottom and downtown D.C. after a substation failure.
  • The outage disrupted George Washington University and State Department facilities, but no election security link is confirmed.
  • Utility crews are investigating; restoration was initially estimated for 11 a.m. but remains unconfirmed.

Localized Blackout Hits Near White House

A power outage hit parts of downtown Washington, D.C., on Monday morning, leaving more than 1,100 customers without electricity just blocks from the White House and on the eve of the midterm elections. Utility provider Pepco reported 1,176 affected customer accounts as of 10:15 a.m. on November 2, with a substation failure identified as the probable cause.

The outage was concentrated in Foggy Bottom, home to the State Department and George Washington University. D.C. Fire and EMS responded to reports of smoke coming from multiple manholes on the 1800 block of H Street NW. Pepco crews were on-site working to restore power safely and determine the cause, a spokesperson said, declining to speculate on the equipment failure.

University and Government Disruptions

George Washington University’s student newspaper reported that several campus buildings lost power around 9 a.m., prompting officials to cancel classes until at least noon. An 11:12 a.m. report indicated that State Department facilities were experiencing an unscheduled loss of electricity, though the extent of the disruption remained unclear.

The timing—just hours before Election Day—raised immediate questions, but officials have not established any link to election infrastructure or malicious activity. “We are aware of the outage and are monitoring the situation,” said a D.C. government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. “At this point, there is no indication of anything beyond a localized equipment failure.”

Regulatory and Financial Context

The incident comes three days after Pepco’s parent, Exelon (EXC), reported third-quarter results. Exelon posted GAAP net income of $729 million, or $0.70 per share, down from $875 million, or $0.86 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted operating earnings came in at $0.87 per share, matching the prior-year period. Pepco Holdings, the Exelon subsidiary that includes the D.C. utility, reported GAAP net income of $187 million, down from $291 million, though adjusted operating earnings rose to $320 million from $290 million.

Exelon narrowed its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $2.85–$2.91 and maintained its forecast for annualized adjusted earnings growth near the upper end of 5%–7% through 2029. Management has emphasized grid investment and reliability, but the outage highlights the challenge of balancing infrastructure spending with affordability.

A Familiar Scenario

The event echoes a 2015 transmission-related voltage disturbance that disrupted power across parts of Washington, affecting government buildings, museums, and briefly the White House. Authorities reported no malicious activity then, and the current incident appears similarly localized.

Pepco did not respond to a request for comment on the cause or restoration timeline. A spokesperson for the State Department declined to comment on the extent of the disruption. GW officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

What’s Next

The immediate focus is on restoration. Pepco initially estimated power would return by 11 a.m., but that deadline passed without confirmation. Crews are still investigating the underground smoke and the substation failure. Until the utility confirms restoration and completes its investigation, the cause and any potential impact on rates or reliability metrics remain uncertain.

Update: This story has been updated to reflect the latest customer count and emergency response details.