Mysterious Washington, D.C., Power Outage Impacts Government Agencies a Day Before Midterms
A day before voters nationwide decide the balance of power in the federal government. Washington, D.C., had a power problem of its own.
A power outage struck an area of the nation’s capital early Monday, leaving about 1,100 power company customers without electricity and knocking out power to government offices, traffic lights, and much of George Washington University.
The State Department was one of the government agencies affected, with multiple facilities closed, Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohana reported.
Pepco said in an update at 2:20 p.m. that power had been restored to all customers. An investigation into what caused the outage is still ongoing.
https://t.co/nu7vBtzL0i— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) November 2, 2026
Pepco, the electric utility for D.C. and surrounding Maryland areas, traced the disruption to equipment trouble at its I Street Substation in the city’s northwest quadrant, according to WUSA-TV, in Washington.
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Utility crews arrived quickly to inspect the site and begin repairs. The company said investigators were still determining the exact cause and later confirmed there were no signs of intentional damage.
Officials asked the public to keep a safe distance from active work zones.
The city’s fire department and EMS units also rolled in after smoke poured from several manholes, according to the Washington Examiner. Pepco teams joined them to manage related electrical problems in the area.
Power outages affect downtown Washington, D.C., including State Department, per Daily Wire.
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) November 2, 2026
A State Department official told The Daily Wire the agency was working with Pepco to understand what happened.
NEW: Power outages in downtown DC are affecting stop lights and even some agencies, including the State Department. A State Department official confirms to @realDailyWire that multiple State Department facilities “are experiencing an unscheduled loss of electrical power” and the department is “investigating with PEPCO.”
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) November 2, 2026
State Department outage still has “no clear timeline,” I’m told.
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) November 2, 2026
Across the neighborhood, dark traffic signals slowed movement through busy intersections. George Washington University canceled its morning classes; later updates allowed some afternoon sessions to proceed in a mix of in-person and online formats.
🚨 BREAKING: A substation failure has knocked out power across Foggy Bottom in Washington, DC
Pepco says about 1,100 customers are in the dark near GW University, the World Bank, the IMF and the State Department
Smoke poured from multiple manholes on H Street NW
State Department officials confirmed the building lost power.
GW cancelled classes for the day
Pepco: “At this time, the cause of the event remains under investigation.”
No restoration time yet
The capital’s grid failed blocks from the State Department.
— Patriot (@_Patriot1776Q_) November 2, 2026
The outage began the morning of November 2, one day before the midterm elections. Early Pepco maps briefly listed an 11 a.m. restoration target, but the utility did not lock in a firm timeline as crews continued work at the substation and on related equipment.
The affected area, known as Foggy Bottom, sits close to major federal agencies, international organizations, and the White House complex.
Emergency responders and utility teams concentrated on clearing the manhole hazards and returning electricity as quickly as safety allowed.
We’re responding to a power outage in the Foggy Bottom area following an incident at our I Street Substation. The cause remains under investigation, with no indication of foul play at this time. Our focus remains on safely restoring power to our customers. https://t.co/FpFHlADfq3
— Pepco (@PepcoConnect) November 2, 2026
The combination of darkened traffic signals, affected government buildings, and a university campus without power created visible disruption in a high-profile stretch of the city at a politically charged moment, only one day before midterm elections that will likely decide the course of the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term.
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