PG&E CEO Patti Poppe has unveiled a strategy focused on stabilizing and potentially lowering customer bills after years of increases. The announcement was made at the San Ramon Valley Conference Center, where Poppe detailed a plan to address customer financial burdens.

Price Reductions and Future Stability

The company has already implemented five price reductions in the last two years, resulting in a 13% overall decrease in bills and a 23% decrease for vulnerable customers. This action responds to a period of escalating monthly bills, which were increasing at an annual rate of 20%.

Investing in System Reliability

A key component of PG&E’s new approach involves proactive system hardening and utilizing advanced technology. Investments are being made in burying power lines, deploying low-cost sensors for early fault detection, and using drones for safety inspections – increasing coverage by 600%.

Proactive Disaster Prevention

These efforts have already led to a 19% improvement in electricity system reliability in 2025 compared to the previous year. Poppe emphasized a shift from reacting to disasters to preventing them, arguing this is more cost-effective for customers.

Future Rate Projections

PG&E projects that rates could decline in 2026 and remain flat starting in 2027 compared to 2025 levels, even with full approval from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the 2027-2030 general rate case.

Impact of Data Center Demand

The majority – 90% – of a customer’s bill consists of pass-through costs like purchased power, natural gas, taxes, and operating expenses. Increased electricity demand from data centers powering the tech industry and artificial intelligence could lower overall electric bills by 1% to 2% per gigawatt.

Demand Growth and Infrastructure

Currently, 3.6 gigawatts of applications are in the final engineering phase, with 1.8 gigawatts expected to come online by 2030, and an additional eight gigawatts in the pipeline. This increased demand can help fund infrastructure upgrades and rebuild aging systems.

Poppe, who holds degrees from Purdue and Stanford, leads with a focus on purpose and impact. Her leadership emphasizes innovation and customer well-being, signaling a new era for PG&E.