Pacific Gas & Electric

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

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Pacific Gas & Electric Pipeline is an operating pipeline in Northern California.

Location

The pipeline runs from Northern California to Central California, covering the coast and Sierra Nevada Range communities.

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Project details

• Operator: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
• Owner: PG&E
• Parent company:
• Capacity:
• Length: 7,000 mi
• Diameter: 30 in
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 1929
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure:

Background

Originally known as San Francisco Gas, the company merged with California Gas and Electric Corporation becoming what is known today as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). The first portion of the PG&E pipeline was constructed in 1929. The pipeline spanned 300 miles starting from the Kettleman Oil Field (located in Kings and Fresno counties of Central California) ending in San Francisco. An additional 45 miles was added in Milpitas in 1936. Today, the pipeline goes from the California-Oregon border down to Central California, reaching the California Nevada border, serving 5.2 million homes. PG&E is an investor-owned electric utilities company (IOU).

In 2017, fire officials of California determined that PG&E is responsible for 16 fires. The company pleaded guilty for the deadliest California wildfire in history, the Paradise Camp Fire of 2018 saying "Our equipment started that fire.".

Accidents

San Bruno Pipeline Explosion

A portion of PG&E’s transmission pipeline (Line 132) exploded in San Bruno, California on September 9, 2010. As a result, a crater 72 ft x 26 ft wide was created, 47.6 million standard cubic feet of natural gas was released which caused a fire that destroyed 38 homes, damaged more than 100 homes, and killed 8 people.