Fresno Workshop Helps Builders, PG&E Collaborate on New Service

Representatives from more than 20 builders and developers in the Central Valley recently received an in-depth look at how PG&E connects new projects to its grid.

As part of an ongoing effort to improve new-service connections, the California Building Industry Association and PG&E’s Service Planning and Design team held a workshop on Oct. 30 in Fresno.

Workshop goals included:

• Getting feedback on how PG&E can improve its processes

• Helping builders understand how to apply for new service

• Sharing tips to move quickly from application to completion

• Discussing new state regulations

• Strengthening relationships between builders and PG&E

Aaron Takahashi, a program manager with Service Planning & Design’s Customer Experience team, said attendees praised PG&E’s partnership.

“While they said they still saw opportunity for improvement with process and timelines, they appreciated our transparency and communication,” he said.

California Building Industry Association leaders said members learn a lot from each workshop.

“The feedback has been amazing,” said Chris Ochoa, the association’s senior counsel for Codes, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs. “It’s been very educational for PG&E and our members to get together and talk about each side’s responsibilities during the new-service process. We’re learning from each other how we can all make the process go more smoothly.”

Series key to improvements

October’s event was the fourth in a series of workshops that began in August 2024. Prior events were held in Stockton, San Ramon and Sacramento.

The workshops were inspired by new state regulations that set timelines on how quickly utilities must energize new projects. The idea was to help PG&E and builders understand what each needed to do to meet those timelines.

Each workshop begins with a walk-through of the new-service process, from application to completion. PG&E coworkers also share improvements made in partnership with the California Building Industry Association since 2023, including:

• A streamlined application process that requires fewer documents

• Advance project scheduling

• Centralized support for escalations

• Interim power solutions

“Our builders get a better sense of what PG&E needs during the process, and how they can help themselves,” Ochoa said. “Builders want things to move smoothly and for PG&E to be there to energize when a project is ready. PG&E wants the same thing.”

The association and PG&E have improved new service in other ways, including:

• Launching a Program Management Office to develop a production system for repeatable processes 

• Developing an internal AI Companion tool to help new-business reps search for information more quickly and efficiently 

• Developing a project tracker tool with real-time status updates for customers

• Streamlining the application process 

• Reducing unit costs and cycle times in Estimating 

• Creating a Work Plan Date Calculator to inform stakeholders of target construction dates and scheduling

These improvements have made a big difference.

PG&E’s six-month design backlog of early 2023 is now less than a month. The company energized nearly 14,000 new-service customers in 2024. That was up roughly 40% from 9,800 connections in 2023.

Since 2024, PG&E has reduced application processing times by nearly a month. That pace is beating both maximum and average timelines under new energization laws.

PG&E plans more education and relationship-building with the builder and developer community in 2026.

Service Planning & Design will add to its webinar series on topics developers say they want to know more about. Topics include making electric upgrades and adding capacity; estimating for contracts; scheduling inspections; decarbonization; and how to more efficiently use the application portal.

“The continued dialogue we have throughout the year with the CBIA provides their members a voice with PG&E,” Takahashi said. “Events including the workshops, monthly CBIA meetings and webinars encourage the conversation that continues to drive improvements.”