The power grid right in the heart of Washington, DC just took a direct, sudden hit. An underground equipment blast in Foggy Bottom triggered a massive blackout across the core institutional district. Manholes exploded right outside the World Bank headquarters, sending smoke pouring into the streets and triggering emergency sirens. Power was instantly wiped out across George Washington University, multilateral financial offices, and federal facilities. The State Department had to scramble as facilities suffered unscheduled electrical loss. Traffic lights died from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, gridlocking major intersections blocks away from the White House. Office towers were abruptly dumped onto whining backup generators or left completely dark, with workers told to evacuate. Pepco and DC Fire crews flooded the scene around 18th Street and H Street as subterranean equipment failures took down key feeders. The fragile backbone of the capital's power grid cannot even keep the lights on for the World Bank and the State Department on a regular Monday morning.