USA, California: Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) is rolling out a series of substation upgrades to resolve electrical connection bottlenecks that have slowed development in parts of Northern California, particularly in the North Bay.
“We do not want customers or developers assuming that there is no power available,” said Dave Canny, PG&E’s North Coast regional VP. The utility has introduced an external-facing capacity-check tool to help assess availability.
Among the upgrades:
– The Fulton substation in north Santa Rosa will expand from 60 MW to 73 MW by the end of next year, and to 90 MW by early 2028, including a new transformer and a circuit serving the airport area.
– The Monroe substation in south Santa Rosa will gain 20 MW by next year.
– The Vaca-Dixon substation in Vacaville is expected to add 12–13 MW by late 2025 or early 2026.
These improvements aim to meet rising demand from Amazon warehouses, EV charging infrastructure, and new businesses in northern Solano County, according to utility engineers.
PG&E says it has streamlined its application process, particularly for experienced developers. “There is a substantial increase in how fast we can move them through the process,” said Phil Souza, North Coast service manager.
Source: The Press Democrat
