A transformer malfunction at the Prince William Substation left nearly 4,000 residents and businesses in the dark Sunday night — the third major outage in just over a week to hit the city.
City officials said the outage began around 9:30 p.m. when a bushing failed on a transformer, triggering an automatic shutdown of part of the system. Crews were dispatched immediately and used backfeeding, a method of rerouting electricity through alternate lines, to restore service. Power was fully restored by 10:30 p.m.
The affected substation, which is part of a relatively new facility, had shown no prior signs of equipment problems, according to city staff. The failure is now under review by engineers to determine whether it was an isolated incident or part of a broader reliability issue.
Sunday’s blackout follows two earlier outages this month, each leaving thousands without electricity for hours. Together, the incidents have raised renewed questions about grid stability and the resilience of Manassas’ municipal power system.
