Thousands of CPS Energy customers in San Antonio lost power on Thursday evening as severe storms rolled through the region, marking the first major weather event to disrupt the service area after weeks of extreme heat and drought conditions. By 8 p.m. on August 27, more than 6,400 households and businesses were without electricity, with the outages concentrated largely on the far northwest side past Loop 410, according to the utility’s real-time outage map.
The storms brought heavy rain and frequent lightning to San Antonio, ending an extended dry stretch for the area. The severe weather also delayed the start of high school football games, with lightning forcing postponements at venues across the region, including Comalander Stadium where kickoff had been scheduled for 7 p.m.
Power outages during severe weather events are among the most common disruptions to electric service in the United States. Strong winds can knock down poles carrying electric wires or topple trees that fall onto power lines, while lightning strikes damage transformers and other grid equipment directly. Severe weather was responsible for most of the nation’s power outages during the second week of July 2026, producing nearly 25 million customer-hours of outages, according to PowerOutage.us data.
The frequency of weather-related power outages has increased significantly in recent years. Climate Central’s analysis of national power outage data shows a 67% increase in major power outages from weather-related events since 2000, reflecting broader challenges to grid reliability as extreme weather events become more intense. The U.S. has experienced at least one major power outage every month of 2026, according to reports tracking nationwide outage patterns.
CPS Energy, which serves nearly 987,000 customers in the San Antonio area, maintains an outage map that allows residents to track restoration efforts in real time. The utility’s crews typically prioritize restoring power to critical infrastructure and high-impact areas first, then work to restore service to the broader customer base. Similar storm systems have affected San Antonio multiple times in 2026, with June storms knocking out power to more than 15,000 customers and May storms affecting over 16,000 residents.
Residents without power during summer heat events face particular challenges, as air conditioning systems become inoperable and stored food can spoil without refrigeration. The outages also affect businesses, hospitals, and water treatment facilities that depend on continuous electric service. CPS Energy encourages customers to report outages through its website and mobile app, and to register for outage alerts that provide estimated restoration times.
Sources
- KENS 5 — real-time outage reporting and storm coverage on August 27, 2026, including customer counts and affected areas
- PowerOutage.us — national power outage tracking data on weather-related disruptions and July 2026 storm impacts
- Climate Central — analysis showing 67% increase in major weather-related power outages since 2000
- CPS Energy — customer service information and historical outage data from 2026 storm events
