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Sustainable development

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Embarks on Ambitious Climate Pledge and Safety Initiatives

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has marked a significant "inflection point" in its history, driven by innovative strategies to mitigate the risk of wildfires and tackle the challenges of climate change. In its annual Corporate Sustainability Report, the company outlines its bold commitments, including the undergrounding of 10,000 miles of powerlines and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, with the goal of becoming "climate positive" by 2050.

Key Takeaways:

  • PG&E has committed to undergrounding 10,000 miles of powerlines as a long-term solution to preventing wildfires, building on the success of its Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) program.
  • The company aims to achieve significant emissions reductions by 2030, reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, and become "climate positive" by 2050.
  • In 2021, PG&E provided customers with electricity that was over 90% greenhouse-gas-emissions free, awarded contracts for over 3,300 MW of battery energy storage, and reached nearly 5,000 installed charging ports for electric vehicles.
  • PG&E has taken a leading role in reducing wildfire risk, with the EPSS program resulting in an 80% decrease in California Public Utilities Commission-reportable ignitions on EPSS-enabled circuits compared to the past three-year average.
  • The company is making progress in its Wildfire Mitigation Plan commitments, including hardening over 200 line-miles and installing over 300 weather stations.

Statistics:

  • PG&E has interconnected over 600,000 private solar interconnections, more than any other U.S. utility.
  • The company has awarded contracts for over 3,300 MW of battery energy storage to be deployed through 2024.
  • Nearly 5,000 installed charging ports for electric vehicles were reached, with 39% of these stations located in disadvantaged communities.
  • PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program saw an 88% decrease in customers impacted compared to 2020.
  • California Public Utilities Commission-reportable ignitions decreased by 80% on EPSS-enabled circuits compared to the past three-year average.

Sources:

  • [Source 1] Pacific Gas and Electric Company. (2022). Corporate Sustainability Report.
  • [Source 2] Business Wire. (2022, August 2). Pacific Gas and Electric Company Releases 2022 Corporate Sustainability Report Highlighting Major Strides in Safety and Environmental Stewardship.
  • [Source 3] Business Wire. (2022, June 20). Pacific Gas and Electric Company Unveils Ambitious Climate Commitments to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions by 2040 and Become Climate Positive by 2050.

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