GALLUP, N.M. — September 19, 2026 — A widespread power outage plunged the City of Gallup and several surrounding communities into darkness Friday evening, September 18, disrupting businesses, traffic signals, homes, and essential services across portions of McKinley County.
The outage was reported throughout Gallup shortly before 7 p.m. City officials said the disruption resulted from an outage involving an upstream electric provider, leaving the entire municipal electrical system without its normal power supply. No immediate estimate for restoration was initially available. (KOAT)
The blackout was not limited to Gallup. Officials reported that nearby Gamerco, Jamestown and Thoreau were also affected by the widespread electrical disruption. (KOB.com)
According to Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, Public Service Company of New Mexico, commonly known as PNM, was experiencing a problem involving the Smith Lake substation, affecting approximately 2,000 Continental Divide Electric Cooperative members in the region. (Gallup Today)
Throughout Gallup, traffic signals went dark, creating hazardous conditions at major intersections. The Gallup Fire Department reminded motorists that intersections with nonfunctioning traffic lights should be treated as four-way stops and urged drivers to proceed cautiously.
Emergency officials also asked residents not to call 911 simply to report the electrical outage because emergency dispatchers, city officials and utility providers were already aware of the situation. The City of Gallup said emergency services remained operational and that residents should continue using 911 for actual emergencies. (KOAT)
The outage came during another period of unsettled weather across northwestern New Mexico. Gallup and surrounding areas had experienced repeated monsoon storms and flooding during the week, including significant flooding earlier in the week that damaged homes, businesses and roadways. (KOAT)
However, authorities had not publicly established the weather as the specific technical cause of the Gallup-wide electrical failure as of Saturday morning. Initial city reports described the incident as an “upstream electric provider outage.”
The effects of electrical disruptions were also felt farther into the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Police Department Crownpoint District reported that its regular dispatch telephone lines and power were interrupted beginning at approximately 6:29 p.m. Friday. The district temporarily issued an alternate emergency contact number before announcing at approximately 10:18 p.m. that both power and its regular dispatch lines had been restored. (Gallup Today)
For several hours, Gallup residents and businesses waited for electricity to return as utility crews worked to identify and correct the problem.
Continental Divide Electric Cooperative announced at approximately 10:20 p.m. Friday that power had been restored, bringing an end to the major regional outage. (Gallup Today)
The blackout highlighted how dependent Gallup and neighboring communities are on interconnected regional transmission infrastructure. Although Gallup operates its own municipal electric utility, a failure involving an upstream provider can still interrupt the power being delivered into the city’s system.
Friday’s outage also occurred during an already challenging week for the Gallup and greater McKinley County region, where repeated monsoon storms and flooding have affected roads, businesses, homes and utility services.
Residents are encouraged to remain prepared for unexpected utility interruptions by keeping flashlights, batteries, charged communication devices and emergency supplies available. During future outages, motorists should also remember that a dark traffic signal must be approached cautiously and treated as a four-way stop.
As of late Friday night, electrical service had been restored across the affected area. Additional information may be released by PNM, Continental Divide Electric Cooperative and the City of Gallup regarding the precise equipment failure or circumstances that triggered the September 18 outage.
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