Foggy Bottom DC Power Outage: What Happened, Who Is Affected, and How to Stay Safe

Incident date and time: Monday morning, as reported by 7News. As of the latest updates, DC Fire and EMS and Pepco crews were on site responding to an outage that reportedly affected about 1,100 customers. The cause remains under investigation, with reports pointing to a possible substation equipment failure, though officials had not publicly confirmed a definitive cause. For the most current, official status, readers should check Pepco’s outage map and alerts.

What happened in Foggy Bottom?

The outage was reported after a power surge affected electricity services in parts of Foggy Bottom and downtown Washington. 7News reported smoke from multiple manholes in the area on Monday morning. DC Fire and EMS documented smoke from the 1800 block of H Street NW, near the Farragut West Metro station. Pepco confirmed that crews were investigating an outage affecting approximately 1,100 customers and stated that their crews were on site working to restore power safely and as quickly as possible.

Official cause remains under investigation. Some reports have pointed to a possible equipment failure at a substation. There were blog-style reports from PoPville about a manhole incident near the World Bank and a suggested explanation labeled “Probably Cause – Failure in our Sub-Station,” but officials had not publicly confirmed this or any definitive cause.

Manhole incident reported near the World Bank building

A report from PoPville described a manhole near the World Bank area and suggested that area buildings had lost electricity. A resident quoted by PoPville offered a possible explanation, stating “Probably Cause – Failure in our Sub-Station.” Officials had not publicly confirmed the exact cause as of publication, and smoke from multiple manholes was under investigation by emergency responders and Pepco crews.

State Department facilities and GWU impact

Public reporting indicated that State Department facilities were experiencing an unscheduled loss of electrical power and that George Washington University (GWU) buildings were among locations affected in Foggy Bottom. However, officials had not publicly confirmed the extent of the impact or which specific facilities were affected. The World Bank vicinity also appeared in reports, but attribution to particular buildings or campuses varies among sources.

How residents can report outages and stay safe

To report outages or downed wires, rely on Pepco’s official channels. DC outage guidance references Pepco’s outage hotline as 1-877-737-2662 and notes that outages can also be reported online at pepco.com or via the Pepco mobile app. Some alerts circulating in the area mentioned 202-833-7500 for outage information; readers should verify whether this is an official Pepco line or an AlertDC information number. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 first. If you encounter smoke or downed wires, avoid the area and contact emergency services, then report the outage through Pepco’s map or app to receive the latest status directly from the utility.

Context about DC’s electrical network

Washington, DC’s distribution network is largely underground, which influences how faults manifest in dense urban areas. A brief note: underground cable faults can produce smoke from manholes, but the exact cause of this incident remains under investigation. Pepco owns and operates the distribution grid and handles outage restoration, regardless of a customer’s retail electricity supplier. In DC’s market, Pepco is the sole electric distribution utility, while residents can choose a retail electricity provider; the DC Public Service Commission regulates Pepco’s reliability standards. Pepco also operates within a framework where it is part of a larger utility holding company.

What to expect next and how to stay informed

General restoration time guidance suggests most routine outages resolve within 1 to 3 hours, while storm-related outages can take 4 to 24 hours depending on severity. Pepco publishes estimated restoration times on its outage map and sends automated notifications to affected customers. For this incident, rely on Pepco’s outage map and official alerts for the latest ETA, rather than extrapolating from general guidance.

Official resources and next steps

For updates, use Pepco’s outage map and status updates: pepco.com/Outages. To report outages or downed wires, contact Pepco through 1-877-737-2662 or via online reporting and the mobile app. In life-threatening situations, call 911. If you encounter smoke or downed lines, avoid the area and seek immediate help from emergency services, then check Pepco’s map for the latest restoration information.

Notes on sources

This update draws on reports from 7News about the Monday morning outage affecting about 1,100 customers; Daily Wire reporting that State Department facilities experienced unscheduled power loss and GWU facilities were impacted; PoPville’s report of a World Bank area manhole incident and a resident’s suggested cause; and AlertDC notifications related to outage information. Officials had not publicly confirmed a specific cause as of publication.