Consumer Watchdog labels PG&E infrastructure spending cuts a political pressure tactic
Consumer Watchdog claims PG&E’s plan to delay $2 billion in projects is an attempt to force lawmakers to weaken wildfire liability protections.
PG&E has announced it will delay $2 billion in infrastructure investments, potentially affecting 25,000 pending customer connections. The announcement followed a legislative rejection of proposed reforms to wildfire liability laws, prompting Consumer Watchdog to characterize the utility’s spending cuts as a tactical effort to secure a regulatory bailout.
Records indicate that despite the threatened delays, PG&E expects to maintain compliance with state connection timelines. CEO Patti Poppe acknowledged that the utility currently processes service requests significantly faster than the six-month state benchmark. Critics argue that the company is overstating the impact to exert leverage, particularly as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reviews the utility’s revenue requirements.
The CPUC's Public Advocates Office has formally requested that PG&E update its 2027 spending plans, noting that the proposed reductions make current revenue forecasts misleading. Because many project costs are funded by developers or private applicants, questions persist regarding how much of the $2 billion deferral represents actual financial strain versus internal strategic pressure.