Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG+A) 10-K2021 FY Annual report

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: none

This report contains forward-looking statements that are necessarily subject to various risks and uncertainties. These statements reflect management’s judgment and opinions that are based on current estimates, expectations, and projections about future events and assumptions regarding these events and management’s knowledge of facts as of the date of this report. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other matters, estimated losses, including penalties and fines, associated with various investigations and proceedings; forecasts of capital expenditures; forecasts of expense reduction; estimates and assumptions used in critical accounting estimates, including those relating to insurance receivables, regulatory assets and liabilities, environmental remediation, litigation, third-party claims, the Wildfire Fund, and other liabilities; and the level of future equity or debt issuances. These statements are also identified by words such as “assume,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “plan,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “potential” and similar expressions. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are not able to predict all the factors that may affect future results. Some of the factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, or from historical results, include, but are not limited to:

For more information about the significant risks that could affect the outcome of the forward-looking statements and PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s future financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows, see Item 1A. Risk Factors below and a detailed discussion of these matters contained in Item 7. MD&A. PG&E Corporation and the Utility do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, future events, or otherwise.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and proxy statements, are available free of charge on both PG&E Corporation’s website, www.pgecorp.com, and the Utility's website, www.pge.com, as promptly as practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Additionally, PG&E Corporation and the Utility routinely provide links to the Utility’s principal regulatory proceedings before the CPUC and the FERC at http://investor.pgecorp.com, under the “Regulatory Filings” tab, so that such filings are available to investors upon filing with the relevant agency. PG&E Corporation and the Utility also routinely post or provide direct links to presentations, documents, and other information that may be of interest to investors at http://investor.pgecorp.com, under the “Chapter 11,” “Wildfire and Safety Updates” and “News & Events: Events & Presentations” tabs, respectively, in order to publicly disseminate such information. Specifically, within two hours during business hours or four hours outside of business hours of the determination that an incident is attributable or allegedly attributable to the Utility’s electric facilities and has resulted in property damage estimated to exceed $50,000, a fatality or injury requiring overnight in-patient hospitalization, or significant public or media attention, the Utility is required to submit an electric incident report including information about such incident. The information included in an electric incident report is limited and may not include important information about the facts and circumstances about the incident due to the limited scope of the reporting requirements and timing of the report and is necessarily limited to information to which the Utility has access at the time of the report. Ignitions are also reportable under CPUC Decision 14-02-015 when they involve self-propagating fire of material other than electrical or communication facilities; the fire traveled greater than one linear meter from the ignition point; and the Utility has knowledge that the fire occurred. It is possible that any of these filings or information included therein could be deemed to be material information. The information contained on such website is not part of this or any other report that PG&E Corporation or the Utility files with, or furnishes to, the SEC. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are providing the address to this website solely for the information of investors and do not intend the address to be an active link.

PG&E Corporation, incorporated in California in 1995, is a holding company whose primary operating subsidiary is Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a public utility operating in Northern and Central California. The Utility was incorporated in California in 1905. PG&E Corporation became the holding company of the Utility and its subsidiaries in 1997. The Utility generates revenues mainly through the sale and delivery of electricity and natural gas to customers. The Utility’s service area is shown in the graphic below.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s operating revenues, income, and total assets can be found below in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

The principal executive offices of PG&E Corporation and the Utility are located at 77 Beale Street, P.O. Box 770000, San Francisco, California 94177. PG&E Corporation’s telephone number is (415) 973-1000 and the Utility’s telephone number is (415) 973-7000.

This is a combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for PG&E Corporation and the Utility. Each of PG&E Corporation and the Utility is a separate entity, with distinct creditors and claimants, and is subject to separate laws, rules, and regulations.

Over the past several years, Northern California has experienced major wildfires. For more information about material wildfires, see Item 7. MD&A, and Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

This 2021 Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that are necessarily subject to various risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of the significant risks that could affect the outcome of these forward-looking statements and PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s future financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows, see Item 1A. Risk Factors and “Forward-Looking Statements” above.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s purpose is to deliver for their hometowns, serve the planet, and lead with love. In support of this purpose, the companies employ a Lean operating model designed to drive more effective and responsive decision-making, reduce the human struggle many coworkers face in their day-to-day work, and deliver better outcomes for customers and communities.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility measure their progress toward the purpose by considering their impact on the “triple bottom line” of people, planet, and prosperity, which is underpinned by performance; this consideration takes into account not only the economic value they create for customers and investors, but also their responsibility to social and environmental goals. The triple bottom line is designed to balance the interests of the companies’ many stakeholders, and it reflects the broader societal impacts of the companies’ activities.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility will continue to consider the impact on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity in their daily operations as well as in their long-term strategic decisions. The Utility will continue to seek fair and timely regulatory treatment in order to support its customer-driven investment plan while pursuing cost-control measures that would allow it to maintain the affordability of its service. The Lean operating system is an important means of realizing PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s objective of achieving world class performance while delivering hometown service.

The people element of the triple bottom line represents PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s commitment to their workforce, their customers, the residents of local communities in which the companies do business, and other stakeholders.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s goal is to continually reduce risk to keep customers, the communities they serve, and their workforce (both employees and contractors) safe. Their focus is on continuously building an organization where every work activity is designed to facilitate safe performance, every worker knows and practices safe behaviors, and every individual is encouraged to speak up and stop work if they see unsafe or risky behavior, and has confidence that their concerns and ideas will be heard and pursued. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are committed to significantly improving their safety performance by understanding their risks, prioritizing their work, using controls to reduce risks, and continuously measuring and improving risk reduction.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s human capital resource objectives are to build and retain an engaged, well trained, diverse, and equitable workforce. PG&E Corporation and the Utility place a high priority on delivering customer value and providing a hometown customer experience. The Utility’s customer-driven investment program is aimed at improving safety, increasing electric and gas reliability, and improving customer satisfaction.

For more information, see “Human Capital” below.

The planet element of the triple bottom line represents PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s commitment to protect and serve the environment. This commitment extends beyond compliance with various state and federal environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations. Management believes that integrating and managing climate change and other environmental considerations in the companies’ business strategies creates long-term value for PG&E Corporation and the Utility, and for their customers, communities, coworkers, and other stakeholders. Mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change presents opportunities for growth for the Utility’s business and economic opportunity for the communities it serves.

The Utility strives to be prepared to continue to deliver safe, clean, affordable, and reliable energy in the face of increasingly severe and extreme climate-driven natural hazards. To build resilience to these hazards, the Utility is working to systematically integrate the consideration of forward-looking climate data and tools in its decision-making. PG&E Corporation and the Utility also work with policymakers and regulators to advance effective climate adaptation policy in California, and work directly with local governments and communities on adaptation solutions.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility are an important enabler of California’s effort to reduce GHG emissions. California has set a goal to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2045. SB 100 increased California’s RPS target to 60% by the end of 2030 and requires 100% of retail sales to come from eligible renewables or zero-carbon resources by the end of 2045.

The impacts of climate change on the Utility’s infrastructure are already a reality. Record-breaking extreme heat and heat waves are increasingly a regular occurrence throughout California. Peak loads are expected to increase with increasing temperatures due to direct impacts of ambient temperatures on equipment and direct impacts on electricity demand driven by rising air conditioning installation and usage. The Utility’s assets on the coast and in or near watersheds face potential increased exposures to coastal, riverine, and precipitation-related flooding because of climate-driven changes in precipitation and sea-level rise.

Climate change will also continue to intensify the potential for wildfires throughout California. The worsening conditions across California increase the likelihood and severity of wildfires, including those where the Utility’s equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire’s ignition. Reducing risk will be even more important as climate change continues to exacerbate the risks facing the Utility. A key element of preparing the Utility for the physical risks of climate change is a system-wide CVA of the Utility’s assets, operations, and services, which the Utility expects to file with the CPUC in 2024. The CVA is expected to improve the Utility’s understanding of its exposure to climate hazards and the sensitivity of assets and operations to these hazards.

The electric power industry is undergoing transformative change driven by technological advancements enabling customer choice (for example, customer-owned generation and energy storage) and state climate policy supporting a decarbonized economy. California utilities also are experiencing increasing deployment by customers and third parties of distributed energy resources, such as on-site solar generation, energy storage, fuel cells, energy efficiency, and load management technologies. These developments will require sustained investments in grid modernization, renewable integration projects, energy efficiency programs, energy storage options, and EV infrastructure. To this end, the CPUC is conducting proceedings to evaluate changes to the planning and operation of the electric distribution grid in order to prepare for higher penetration of distributed energy resources and consider future grid modernization and grid reinforcement investments; evaluate if traditional grid investments can be deferred by distributed energy resources, and if feasible, what, if any, compensation to utilities would be appropriate for enabling those investments; and clarify the role of the electric distribution grid operator.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility continue to pursue policies and programs that enable safe, reliable, and affordable clean and resilient energy for their customers. As a result of actions already taken by PG&E Corporation and the Utility, the companies have:

Looking ahead, the Utility expects its GHG-free energy supply mix of renewable, large hydroelectric, and nuclear generation resources to remain elevated while Diablo Canyon continues to operate. Once Diablo Canyon ceases operations in 2025, the Utility expects its percentage of GHG-free electricity to decrease substantially. The CPUC coordinates the planning of supply resources through the Integrated Resource Planning (“IRP”) proceeding and has determined that replacing the power generated by Diablo Canyon is the responsibility of all LSEs within the CAISO. Towards the end of the decade and beyond, the Utility’s GHG-free energy supply mix is expected to grow relative to 2025 levels as the Utility works to meet California’s IRP GHG emissions reduction targets and its RPS target. For more information, see “Integrated Resource Planning Procurement” below.

The prosperity element of the triple bottom line represents PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s commitment to meeting their financial objectives and providing economic development opportunities and benefits in the communities they serve. Management believes clean energy should be affordable for and inclusive of all economic backgrounds.

The Utility operates under a “cost of service ratemaking model,” which means that rates for electric and natural gas utility services are generally set at levels that are intended to allow the Utility to recover its costs of providing service and have the opportunity to earn a return on invested capital. Under cost of service ratemaking, a utility’s earnings depend on the outcomes of its ratemaking proceedings and its ability to manage costs.

In order to set rates, the CPUC and the FERC conduct proceedings to determine the amount that the Utility will be authorized to collect from its customers (“revenue requirements”). Revenue authorized by the CPUC through GRC proceedings is intended to provide the Utility a reasonable opportunity to recover its costs and earn a return on its investments in generation and distribution assets and general plant (also referred to as “rate base”) on a forecast basis. The Utility’s revenue requirements consist primarily of a base amount set to enable the Utility to recover its reasonable operating expenses (e.g., maintenance, administration and general expenses) and capital costs (e.g., depreciation, taxes, and financing expenses). In addition, the CPUC authorizes the Utility to collect revenues to recover costs that the Utility is allowed to “pass-through” to customers (referred to as “Utility Revenues and Costs that did not Impact Earnings” in Item 7. MD&A), including its costs to procure electricity and natural gas for customers and to administer public purpose and customer programs.

The Utility’s rate of return on electric transmission assets is determined in the FERC TO proceedings. The rate of return on all other Utility assets is set in the CPUC’s cost of capital proceeding. Other than certain gas transmission and storage revenues, the Utility’s base revenues are “decoupled” from its sales volume through certain regulatory balancing accounts, or revenue adjustment mechanisms, that are designed to allow the Utility to collect its authorized base revenue requirements regardless of sales volume. As a result, the Utility’s base revenues are not impacted by fluctuations in sales resulting from, for example, weather or economic conditions. The Utility’s earnings primarily depend on its ability to manage its base operating and capital costs (referred to as “Utility Revenues and Costs that Impacted Earnings” in Item 7. MD&A) within its authorized base revenue requirements.

See “Ratemaking Mechanisms” below and “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A for more information on specific CPUC and FERC proceedings.

Generally, differences between forecast costs and actual costs (referred to as “Utility Revenues and Costs that Impacted Earnings” in Results of Operations in Item 7. MD&A) can occur for numerous reasons, including the volume of work required and the impact of market forces on the cost of labor and materials. Differences in costs can also arise from changes in laws and regulations at both the state and federal level. The Utility has initiated a program to reduce its spending on operations and maintenance.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility are committed to taking steps to improve their credit ratings and metrics over time, including by reducing their debt. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have set goals to reduce their debt over time, including reducing PG&E Corporation’s debt by $2 billion by the end of 2023. PG&E Corporation and the Utility expect that reducing the consolidated debt will help them achieve investment grade credit ratings for their unsecured securities, for the benefit of both customers and investors. For more information, see Note 5 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. Additionally, the Utility filed an application with the CPUC seeking authorization for a post-emergence transaction to recover $7.5 billion of 2017 wildfire claims costs. Among other uses, as a result of the proposed transaction, the Utility would retire $6.0 billion of Utility debt. For more information, see “Application for Post-Emergence Securitization Transaction” in Item 7. MD&A.

On December 20, 2017, the Boards of Directors of PG&E Corporation and the Utility suspended quarterly cash dividends on both PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s common stock, as well as the Utility’s preferred stock. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s ability to issue dividends is subject to restrictions. On February 8, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Utility authorized the payment of all cumulative and unpaid dividends on the Utility’s preferred stock. For more information, see “Dividends” in Item 7. MD&A.

Total capital expenditures (including accruals) recorded in 2021 were $8.6 billion. The Utility’s total capital expenditures (including accruals) are forecasted to be between $7.8 billion and $8.9 billion for 2022, between $7.9 billion and $10.4 billion for 2023, between $7.9 billion and $10.7 billion for 2024, between $8.0 billion and $11.3 billion for 2025, and between $8.1 billion and $12.0 billion for 2026. The completion of projects, the timing of expenditures, and the associated cost recovery may be affected by permitting requirements and delays, construction schedules, availability of labor, equipment and materials, financing, legal and regulatory approvals and developments, community requests or protests, weather and other unforeseen conditions.

The Utility expects to make additional CPUC capital expenditures, the recovery of which will be subject to future regulatory approval, including the 2023 GRC. These expenditures include capital expenditures exceeding amounts authorized in the 2020 GRC, and expenditures to be included in a later stage of the 2023 GRC. The 2023 through 2026 currently above authorized capital spending levels are primarily for additional wildfire mitigation, transportation electrification and the Lakeside Building. Additionally, $3.21 billion of fire risk mitigation capital expenditures will be excluded from the Utility’s equity rate base pursuant to AB 1054.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility are committed to keeping gas and electric services affordable for all customers. The Utility’s capital investment plan, increasing procurement of renewable power and energy storage, increasing environmental regulations, and the cumulative impact of other public policy requirements collectively place continuing upward pressure on customer rates. Certain CPUC proceedings, such as the OIR to Revisit Net Energy Metering Tariffs, could impact different types of customers differently. Similarly, although the Utility generally recovers its electricity and natural gas procurement costs through rates as “pass-through” costs, commodity prices rose substantially in 2021, relative to 2020. The Utility is addressing this customer rate pressure with cost reductions through increased efficiency, including efficiency driven by implementing the Lean operating system, improving its work management, identifying additional opportunities to convert expenses to capital expenditures, and an improved organizational design. The Utility has a number of programs in place to assist low-income customers, such as the CARE program. Under the CARE program, income-qualified customers can receive a monthly discount of 20% or more on their gas and electric bill.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Corporate Sustainability Report, which is available to the public, describes the companies’ progress toward world-class performance measured with the triple bottom line framework.

In 2020, the Utility spent $3.9 billion with certified diverse suppliers, representing 38.9% of its total spend.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility are transitioning to the Lean operating system, which includes four basic “plays”: visual management, operating reviews, problem solving and standard work. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have implemented the first two plays in 2021 and expect to roll out the second two plays in 2022. Visual management allows teams to see how they are performing against their most important metrics using real-time data. During 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have set up over 2,000 daily operating reviews, beginning with crews closest to the work and cascading up to senior leadership. These brief meetings help the Utility identify gaps and quickly develop plans to support the teams performing the work and give the Utility more visibility, control and predictability in its operations. For instance, the Lean operating system helped the Utility identify patterns in the conditions of ignitions and led to the implementation of EPSS. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s performance is also driven by an increased focus on alignment on shared outcomes among its leadership and within the organization.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility have implemented a regional operating model to place more co-workers and operational leadership closer to their customers. The purposes of regionalization are to address local issues faster; reduce outage response times; create faster interconnections for customers connecting solar or distributed energy to the grid; and build stronger relationships and information flow between the companies and their customers.

California has experienced unprecedented weather conditions in recent years and the Utility’s service territory remains susceptible to additional wildfire activity. In response, the Utility has implemented operational changes and investments that reduce wildfire risk, including:

Even as the Utility works to mitigate wildfire risk, it also works to reduce the impact of those mitigations on its customers, including making the PSPS program less disruptive through sectionalizing devices for both distribution and transmission lines, temporary generation applications, and implementation of microgrid pilot technologies. For example, in 2021, the CPUC authorized the Utility to prepare 10 substations to form microgrids in the event of PSPS outages impacting the transmission lines feeding those substations, in addition to nine other distribution microgrids that the Utility made ready to operate in 2021. Two of the distribution microgrids piloted battery storage and a linear generator in a hybrid configuration with diesel generation to assist in energizing the microgrids when needed. Through these and other mitigation actions, PSPS events in 2021 impacted 78% fewer customers on average than PSPS events in 2019. The Utility also brought online its first “remote grid” in 2021, which allows distribution lines in HFTDs to be removed and replaced with locally sited resources. Remote grids can reduce costs and fire risks, while maintaining service to impacted customers. The Utility is pursuing the development of additional remote grid projects.

In 2021, the Utility also worked to reduce the impact of EPSS by adjusting the sensitivity of devices to reduce the likelihood of an outage, improving coordination between its devices to reduce the size of outages, and improving internal coordination of patrol crews for faster restoration times. In 2022, the Utility plans to expand the scope of the EPSS program to all HFTD areas.

The Utility has focused on continuously improving its gas operations safety record. Since the San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion in 2010, the Utility’s asset safety efforts have included replacing distribution mains and transmission pipelines, as well as strength testing transmission pipelines. The Utility uses in-line inspections to assess the integrity of transmission pipelines. The Utility also uses safety and control systems to monitor, gather, and process real-time data on its gas system. In 2021, the Utility’s gas operations achieved zero workforce serious injuries and fatalities (“SIF-A”) incidents and reductions in the number of injuries that result in days away, restricted or transferred duty per 200,000 hours worked (“DART”). As of the date of this filing, the Utility’s gas system has not had a public safety-related incident that resulted in a fatality or injury since 2015 or 2018, respectively.

The Utility has engaged in educating employees, contractors, and the public regarding safe digging programs and practices for their awareness during construction and when digging near the Utility’s underground gas and electric assets. The Utility also installed safety devices that automatically detect increasing pressure on systems and stop the flow of gas to avoid outages and overpressure events. Additionally, the Utility continues to streamline its efforts to respond to outages timely. The Utility’s outage response is designed to keep the public safe while limiting customer outages and returning service safely and as quickly as possible.

The Utility’s generation operations have focused on safety and reliability. In 2021, the Utility’s generation operations achieved zero SIF-A incidents and reductions in DART. Challenged by a drought year, the Utility scheduled dispatch and rescheduled outages to maximize availability during the summer months when demand for electricity is highest. The Utility is working to implement a comprehensive generation asset management strategy and further mature its outage and project management capabilities.

The Utility’s business is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of various agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. At the state level, the Utility is regulated primarily by the CPUC. At the federal level, the Utility is regulated primarily by the FERC and the NRC. The Utility is also subject to the requirements of other federal, state and local regulatory agencies, including with respect to safety, the environment, and health, such as the NTSB and OEIS.

This section and the “Environmental Regulation” and the “Ratemaking Mechanisms” sections below summarize some of the more significant laws, regulations, and regulatory proceedings affecting the Utility. For more information, see Item 1A. Risk Factors and “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

PG&E Corporation is a “public utility holding company” as defined under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 and is subject to regulatory oversight by the FERC. PG&E Corporation and its subsidiaries are exempt from all requirements of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 other than the obligation to provide access to their books and records to the FERC and the CPUC for ratemaking purposes.

The CPUC is a regulatory agency that regulates privately owned public utilities in California. The CPUC has jurisdiction over the rates and terms and conditions of service for the Utility’s electric and natural gas distribution operations, electric generation, and natural gas transmission and storage services. The CPUC also has exercised jurisdiction over the Utility’s issuances of securities, dispositions of utility assets and facilities, energy purchases on behalf of the Utility’s electric and natural gas retail customers, rates of return, rates of depreciation, oversight of nuclear decommissioning, and aspects of the siting of facilities used in providing electric and natural gas utility service.

The CPUC enforces state laws and regulations that set forth safety requirements pertaining to the design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance of utility gas and electric facilities.  The CPUC can impose penalties of up to $100,000 per day, per violation. The CPUC has wide discretion to determine the amount of penalties based on the totality of the circumstances, including such factors as the gravity of the violations; the type of harm caused by the violations and the number of persons affected; and the good faith of the entity charged in attempting to achieve compliance, after notification of a violation. The CPUC also is required to consider the appropriateness of the amount of the penalty to the size of the entity charged.

The CPUC has delegated authority to the SED to issue citations and impose penalties for violations identified through audits, investigations, or self-reports. Under the current gas and electric citation programs adopted by the CPUC in September 2016, the SED has discretion whether to issue a penalty for each violation; but if it assesses a penalty for a violation, it has the authority to impose the maximum statutory penalty of $100,000 per day, with an administrative limit of $8 million per citation issued. Similar to penalties imposed by the CPUC, penalty payments for citations issued pursuant to the gas and electric safety citation programs are the responsibility of shareholders of an issuer and may not be recovered in rates or otherwise directly or indirectly charged to customers. The CPUC has also authorized the SED to propose for CPUC approval administrative consent orders and administrative enforcement orders when the SED deems a formal OII unnecessary.

The California State Legislature also directs the CPUC to implement state laws and policies, such as the laws relating to wildfires and wildfire cost recovery, increasing renewable energy resources, the development and widespread deployment of distributed generation and self-generation resources, the reduction of GHG emissions, the establishment of energy storage procurement targets, and the development of a state-wide EV charging infrastructure. The CPUC is responsible for approving funding and administration of state-mandated public purpose programs such as energy efficiency and other customer programs. The CPUC also conducts audits and reviews of the Utility’s accounting, performance, and compliance with regulatory guidelines.

The CPUC has imposed various conditions that govern the relationship between the Utility and PG&E Corporation and other affiliates, including financial conditions that require PG&E Corporation’s Board of Directors to give first priority to the capital requirements of the Utility, as determined to be necessary and prudent to meet the Utility’s obligation to serve or to operate the Utility in a prudent and efficient manner. For more information on specific CPUC enforcement matters and CPUC-implemented laws and policies and the related impact on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, and “Enforcement and Litigation Matters,” “Regulatory Matters,” “Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives” and “Liquidity and Financial Resources” in Item 7. MD&A and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The FERC has jurisdiction over the Utility’s electric transmission revenue requirements and rates, the licensing of substantially all of the Utility’s hydroelectric generation facilities, and the interstate sale and transportation of natural gas. The FERC regulates the interconnections of the Utility’s transmission systems with other electric systems and generation facilities, the tariffs and conditions of service of regional transmission organizations, and the terms and rates of wholesale electricity sales. The FERC also is charged with adopting and enforcing mandatory standards governing the reliability of the nation’s electric transmission grid, including standards to protect the nation’s bulk power system against potential disruptions from cyber and physical security breaches. The FERC’s approval is also required under Federal Power Act Section 203 before undertaking certain transactions, including most mergers and consolidations, certain transactions that result in a change in control of a utility, purchases of utility securities and dispositions of utility property. The FERC has authority to impose fines of up to $1 million per day for violations of certain federal statutes and regulations. For more information on specific FERC requirements and their impact on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, and “Regulatory Matters,” “Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives” and “Liquidity and Financial Resources” in Item 7. MD&A and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The CAISO is the FERC-approved regional transmission organization for the Utility’s service territory. The CAISO controls the operation of the electric transmission system in California and provides open access transmission service on a non-discriminatory basis. The CAISO is also responsible for planning transmission system additions, ensuring the maintenance of adequate reserves of generating capacity, ensuring that the reliability of the transmission system is maintained, and operating an interstate energy imbalance market.

The NRC oversees the licensing, construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, including the Utility’s two nuclear generating units at Diablo Canyon and the Utility’s retired nuclear generating unit at Humboldt Bay. See “Electricity Resources” below. NRC regulations require extensive monitoring and review of the safety, radiological, seismic, environmental, and security aspects of these facilities. In the event of non-compliance, the NRC has the authority to impose fines or to force a shutdown of a nuclear plant, or both. NRC safety and security requirements have, in the past, necessitated substantial capital expenditures at Diablo Canyon, and substantial capital expenditures could be required in the future. For more information about Diablo Canyon, see Item 1A. Risk Factors and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The California Energy Commission is California’s primary energy policy and planning agency. The CEC is responsible for licensing all thermal power plants over 50 MW within California. The CEC also is responsible for forecasts of future energy needs used by the CPUC in determining the adequacy of the utilities’ electricity procurement plans and for adopting building and appliance energy efficiency requirements.

The CARB is the state agency responsible for setting and monitoring GHG and other emission limits. The CARB is also responsible for adopting and enforcing regulations to implement state law requirements to gradually reduce GHG emissions in California. See “Environmental Regulation - Air Quality and Climate Change” below.

The NTSB is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigations, including pipeline accidents. The NTSB also conducts special investigations and safety studies, and issues safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

The California Geologic Energy Management Division is the state agency responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for the operation of the Utility’s underground gas storage wells.

The OEIS is a state agency responsible for reviewing and approving the Utility’s WMP and for evaluating the Utility’s implementation of the WMP.

In addition, the Utility obtains permits, authorizations, and licenses in connection with the construction and operation of the Utility’s generation facilities, electricity transmission lines, natural gas transportation pipelines, and gas compressor station facilities. The Utility also periodically obtains permits, authorizations, and licenses in connection with distribution of electricity and natural gas that grant the Utility rights to occupy or use public property for the operation of the Utility’s business and to conduct certain related operations. The Utility has franchise agreements with approximately 300 cities and counties that permit the Utility to install, operate, and maintain the Utility’s electric and natural gas facilities in the public streets and highways. In exchange for the right to use public streets and highways, the Utility pays annual fees to the cities and counties. In most cases, the Utility’s franchise agreements are for an indeterminate term, with no expiration date. For more information see Item 1A. Risk Factors.

On April 12, 2017, the Utility retained the Monitor at the Utility’s expense as part of its compliance with the sentencing terms of the Utility’s January 27, 2017 federal criminal conviction, which sentenced the Utility to, among other things, a five-year corporate probation period and oversight by the Monitor for a period of five years.  On January 25, 2022, the period of probation expired and the Monitor’s oversight of the Utility ended. For more information see Item 1A. Risk Factors and “US District Court Matters and Probation” under “Enforcement and Litigation Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

Additionally, as a condition to its approval of the Plan, the CPUC required the appointment of an independent safety monitor (the “Independent Safety Monitor”) for a term of five years, subject to extension if the CPUC determines that the Utility’s safety conditions would benefit from an Independent Safety Monitor’s continued involvement. On January 28, 2022, the CPUC announced that it had selected Filsinger Energy Partners to serve as the Independent Safety Monitor. According to the scope of work authorized by the CPUC, the Independent Safety Monitor will (1) monitor and alert CPUC staff whether the Utility is implementing its highest priority and risk-driven safety mitigations and (2) monitor the Utility’s safety-related recordkeeping and record management systems. In addition to confidential updates to the CPUC staff regarding safety-related concerns, the Independent Safety Monitor will also provide public summary reports of its activities to the CPUC every six months.

As indicated above, the Utility’s business is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of various agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Compliance with such extensive government regulations requires substantial expenditures and has had in the past and may continue to have in the future a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and competitive position. Generally, the Utility expects to recover the cost of compliance with government regulations through rates in its GRC proceedings, or other proceedings. To the extent the Utility incurs costs above authorized or incurs additional types of costs not included in rates, the Utility would expect to apply for recovery of such costs. Such recovery would be subject to the CPUC’s approval and could involve its reasonableness review.

Costs incurred in 2021 included costs in connection with upgrading and maintaining the Utility’s electric and natural gas infrastructure in accordance with CPUC and federal requirements, participating in the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054, execution of wildfire mitigation initiatives, the licensing and other regulations of the FERC, environmental regulations, clean energy standards, regulations regarding Diablo Canyon, and various other generation, distribution and storage regulations, the amount of which was substantial.

If the Utility is unable to recover these costs or incurs fines or penalties as a result of non-compliance with such laws and regulations, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and competitive position could be materially impacted. For more information, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A, and Notes 14 and 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The Utility’s facilities are subject to various regulations adopted by the EPA, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended. The Utility is also subject to the regulations adopted by other federal agencies responsible for implementing federal environmental laws. The Utility also must comply with environmental laws and regulations adopted by the State of California and various state and local agencies. These federal and state laws impose strict liability for the release of a hazardous substance on the (1) owner or operator of the site where the release occurred, (2) on companies that disposed of, or arranged for the disposal of, the hazardous substances, and (3) in some cases, their corporate successors. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, these persons (known as “potentially responsible parties”) may be jointly and severally liable for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances, monitoring and paying for the harm caused to natural resources, and paying for the costs of health studies.

The Utility has a comprehensive program in place to comply with these federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Under federal and California laws, the Utility may be responsible for remediation of hazardous substances even if it did not deposit those substances on the site. The Utility’s remediation activities are overseen by the California DTSC, several California regional water quality control boards, and various other federal, state, and local agencies. The Utility has incurred significant environmental remediation liabilities associated with former MGP sites, power plant sites, gas gathering sites, sites where natural gas compressor stations are located, and sites used by the Utility for the storage, recycling, or disposal of potentially hazardous substances. Groundwater at the Utility’s Hinkley and Topock natural gas compressor stations contains hexavalent chromium as a result of the Utility’s past operating practices. The Utility is responsible for remediating this groundwater contamination and for abating the effects of the contamination on the environment.

For more information about environmental remediation liabilities, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

At the federal level, the EPA is charged with implementation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act. Although there have been several legislative attempts to address climate change through imposition of nationwide regulatory limits on GHG emissions, comprehensive federal legislation has not yet been enacted. In the absence of federal legislative action, the EPA has used its existing authority under the Clean Air Act to address GHG emissions.

Tackling the climate crisis is a key priority of the Biden Administration, and the Administration has signaled its intent to use its executive and regulatory authorities to reduce emissions in line with science-based targets. On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued an EO directing the EPA to consider suspending, revising or rescinding the Trump Administration’s rule for methane emissions from new sources in the oil and gas sector and propose a companion regulation for existing sources, including the transmission, processing and storage segments of the industry. For power plants, the EPA is expected to propose a more stringent GHG standard for existing sources in the wake of challenges to the Trump Administration’s Affordable Clean Energy rule.

California’s AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, provided for the gradual reduction of state-wide GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The CARB has approved various regulations to achieve the 2020 target, including GHG emissions reporting and a state-wide, comprehensive cap-and-trade program that sets gradually declining limits (or “caps”) on the amount of GHGs that may be emitted by major GHG emission sources within different sectors of the economy.

The cap-and-trade program’s first compliance period, which began on January 1, 2013, applied to the electric generation and large industrial sectors. In the subsequent compliance period, which began on January 1, 2015, the scope of the regulation was expanded to include the natural gas and transportation sectors, effectively covering all of the state economy’s major sectors through 2020. The Utility’s compliance obligation as a natural gas supplier applies to the GHG emissions attributable to the combustion of natural gas delivered to the Utility’s customers other than large natural gas delivery customers that are separately regulated as covered entities and have their own compliance obligation.

In 2017, AB 398 extended the cap-and-trade program through January 1, 2031. During each year of the program, the CARB issues emission allowances (i.e., the rights to emit GHGs) equal to the amount of GHG emissions allowed for that year. Entities with a compliance obligation can obtain allowances from the CARB at quarterly auctions or from third parties or exchanges. Complying entities may also satisfy a portion of their compliance obligation through the purchase of offset credits (e.g., credits for GHG reductions achieved by third parties, such as landowners, livestock owners, and farmers, that occur outside of the entities’ facilities through CARB-qualified offset projects such as reforestation or biomass projects). The Utility expects all costs and revenues associated with the GHG cap-and-trade program to be passed through to customers.

SB 32 (2016) requires that CARB ensure a 40% reduction in GHGs by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The California RPS program that requires utilities to gradually increase the amount of renewable energy delivered to their customers is also expected to help reduce GHG emissions in California. In September 2018, SB 100 was signed into law, which accelerated California’s 50% RPS target to December 31, 2026, increased the RPS target to 60% by December 31, 2030, and further amended the RPS statute to set a policy of meeting 100% of retail sales from eligible renewables and zero-carbon resources by December 31, 2045. Additionally, EO B-55-18 set a statewide goal to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2045 and to maintain net negative emissions thereafter. The Utility will be an active participant in regulatory proceedings to determine how the state will achieve carbon neutrality. For the percentage of the Utility’s estimated total net deliveries of electricity to customers in 2021, including estimated GHG-free and renewable energy percentages, see “Electric Utility Operations-Electricity Resources” below.

During 2021, the Utility continued its programs to mitigate the impact of the Utility’s operations (including customer energy usage) on the environment and to take actions to increase its resilience to the physical impacts of climate change on the Utility’s operations. The Utility regularly reviews the most relevant scientific literature on climate change such as rising sea levels, major storm events, increasing temperatures and heatwaves, wildfires, drought and land subsidence, to help the Utility identify and evaluate climate change-related risks and develop resilience strategies. The Utility maintains emergency response plans and procedures to address a range of near-term risks, including wildfires, extreme storms, and heat waves and considers climate hazards in its risk-assessment process to account for long-term risks associated with climate change. The Utility also engages with leaders from business, government, academia, and non-profit organizations to share information and plan for the future.

The Utility is continuing its work to better understand the current and future impacts of climate change. Climate change is incorporated into the Utility’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Phase (“RAMP”) filing, which describes its quantitative risk modeling process and major risks. The Utility also considers the RAMP analysis in developing its infrastructure investment plans. Additionally, the Utility is conducting a system-wide CVA focused on 2050 to identify and help prioritize the Utility’s climate-driven hazards. Concurrent with the CVA are efforts to align key processes with the best available climate projections. For example, the Utility is currently reviewing and updating equipment design standards that rely on historically observed heat thresholds, which are not expected to be predictive of future temperatures.

Climate scientists predict that climate change will result in rising temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns in the Utility’s service territory, including decreasing snowpack. This could, in turn, affect the Utility’s hydroelectric generation. This issue is being analyzed as part of the Utility’s CVA. To plan for this change, the Utility is engaging with state and local stakeholders and is also adopting strategies such as maintaining higher winter carryover reservoir storage levels, reducing discretionary reservoir water releases, and collaborating on research and new modeling tools.

With respect to natural gas operations, both safety-related pipeline strength testing and normal pipeline maintenance and operations release the GHG methane into the atmosphere. The Utility has taken steps to reduce the release of methane by implementing techniques including drafting and cross-compression, which reduce the pressure and volume of natural gas within pipelines prior to venting.  In addition, the Utility continues to achieve reductions in methane emissions by implementing improvements in leak detection and repair, upgrades at metering and regulating stations, and maintenance and replacement of other pipeline materials. The Utility is also actively engaged with renewable natural gas producers to facilitate supply interconnections with the Utility’s natural gas pipeline system and is participating in CPUC proceedings that evaluate standards to allow for the injection of hydrogen into natural gas systems and decarbonization through electrification.

Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the DOE and electric utilities with commercial nuclear power plants were authorized to enter into contracts under which the DOE would be required to dispose of the utilities’ spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by January 1998, in exchange for fees paid by the utilities’ customers. The DOE has been unable to meet its contractual obligation with the Utility to dispose of nuclear waste from the Utility’s two nuclear generating units at Diablo Canyon and the retired nuclear facility at Humboldt Bay. As a result, the Utility constructed interim dry cask storage facilities to store its spent fuel onsite at Diablo Canyon and at Humboldt Bay until the DOE fulfills its contractual obligation to take possession of the spent fuel. The Utility and other nuclear power plant owners sued the DOE to recover the costs that they incurred to construct interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel.

In September 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Utility executed a settlement agreement that provided a claims process by which the Utility submits annual requests for reimbursement of its ongoing spent fuel storage costs.  The claim for the period June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021, totaled approximately $11.6 million and is currently under review by the DOE.  Amounts reimbursed by DOE are refunded to customers through rates. Considerable uncertainty continues to exist regarding when and whether the DOE will meet its contractual obligation to the Utility and other nuclear power plant owners to dispose of spent fuel.

The Utility’s rates for electric and natural gas utility services are generally set at levels that are intended to allow the Utility to recover its costs of providing service and a return on invested capital (“cost-of-service ratemaking”). In order to set rates, the CPUC and the FERC conduct proceedings to determine the amount that the Utility will be authorized to collect from its customers (“revenue requirements”). The Utility’s revenue requirements consist primarily of a base amount set to enable the Utility to recover its reasonable operating expenses (e.g., maintenance, administration and general expenses) and capital costs (e.g., depreciation, and financing expenses). In addition, the CPUC authorizes the Utility to collect revenues to recover costs that the Utility is allowed to “pass-through” to customers (referred to as “Utility Revenues and Costs that did not Impact Earnings” in Item 7. MD&A), including its costs to procure electricity and natural gas for customers and to administer public purpose and customer programs.

The Utility’s rate of return on electric transmission assets is determined in the FERC TO proceedings. The rate of return on all other Utility assets is set in the CPUC’s cost of capital proceeding. Other than certain gas transmission and storage revenues, the Utility’s base revenues are “decoupled” from its sales volume through certain regulatory balancing accounts, or revenue adjustment mechanisms, that are designed to allow the Utility to collect its authorized base revenue requirements regardless of sales volume. As a result, the Utility’s base revenues are not impacted by fluctuations in sales resulting from, for example, weather or economic conditions. The Utility’s earnings primarily depend on its ability to manage its base operating and capital costs (referred to as “Utility Revenues and Costs that Impacted Earnings” in Item 7. MD&A) within its authorized base revenue requirements.

Due to the seasonal nature of the Utility’s business and rate design, customer electric bills are generally higher during summer months (May to October) because of higher demand, driven by air conditioning loads.  Customer bills related to gas service are generally higher during winter months (November to March) because of higher demand due to heating.

From time to time, the CPUC may use incentive ratemaking mechanisms that provide the Utility an opportunity to earn some additional revenues. For example, the Utility has earned incentives for the successful implementation of energy efficiency programs.

See “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A for more information on specific CPUC proceedings.

The GRC is the primary proceeding in which the CPUC determines the amount of base revenue requirements that the Utility is authorized to collect from customers to recover the Utility’s anticipated costs related to its electric distribution, natural gas distribution, and Utility-owned electric generation operations and return on rate base. In the past, the CPUC has generally conducted a GRC every three years. Starting with the 2023 GRC, the CPUC will conduct a GRC every four years that includes the Utility’s costs of its gas transmission and storage facilities. The CPUC approves the annual revenue requirements for the first year (or “test year”) of the GRC period and typically authorizes the Utility to receive annual increases in revenue requirements for the subsequent years of the GRC period (known as “attrition years”). Attrition year rate adjustments are generally authorized for cost increases related to invested capital and inflation. Parties in the Utility’s GRC include the Public Advocates Office of the CPUC (formerly known as Office of Ratepayer Advocates or ORA) and TURN, which generally represent the overall interests of residential customers, as well as numerous intervenors, that represent other business, community, customer, environmental, and union interests. For more information about the Utility’s GRC, see “Regulatory Matters - 2020 General Rate Case” and “Regulatory Matters - 2023 General Rate Case” in Item 7. MD&A.

The CPUC periodically conducts a cost of capital proceeding to authorize the Utility’s capital structure and rates of return for its electric generation, electric and natural gas distribution, and natural gas transmission and storage rate base. The CPUC’s cost of capital proceedings generally take place in a consolidated proceeding with California’s other large investor-owned electric and gas utilities. For more information about the cost of capital proceedings, see “Regulatory Matters - Cost of Capital Proceedings” in Item 7. MD&A.

The FERC determines the amount of authorized revenue requirements, including the rate of return on electric transmission assets, that the Utility may collect in rates in the TO rate case. In its TO rate cases, the Utility uses a formula rate methodology, which includes an authorized revenue requirement and rate base for a given year but also provides for an annual update of the following year’s revenue requirement and rates in accordance with the terms of the FERC-approved formula. Under the formula rate mechanism, transmission revenue requirements are updated to the actual cost of service annually as part of the true-up process. Differences between amounts collected and determined under the formula rate are either collected from or refunded to customers. The FERC-approved formula rate will be effective through December 31, 2023. These FERC-approved rates are included by the CPUC in the Utility’s retail electric rates and by the CAISO in its Transmission Access Charges to wholesale customers. For more information, see “Regulatory Matters - Transmission Owner Rate Cases” in Item 7. MD&A. The Utility also recovers a portion of its revenue requirements for its wholesale electric transmission costs through charges collected under specific contracts with wholesale transmission customers that the Utility entered into before the CAISO began its operations. These wholesale customers are charged individualized rates based on the terms of their contracts.

Periodically, costs arise outside of the CPUC GRC rate requests or that have been deliberately excluded therefrom. These costs may result from catastrophic events, changes in regulation, new programs, or extraordinary changes in operating practices. The Utility may seek authority to track incremental costs in a memorandum account and the CPUC may authorize recovery of costs tracked in memorandum accounts if the costs are deemed reasonable. For instance, these accounts allow the Utility to track the costs associated with work related to disaster and wildfire response, and other wildfire prevention-related costs. Recovery of the costs tracked in these memorandum accounts in rates requires CPUC authorization in separate proceedings for which the Utility may be unable to predict the outcome. Alternatively, the Utility may seek authority to track incremental costs related to these non-GRC programs in balancing accounts. The CPUC may authorize recovery of costs tracked in the balancing accounts on either a “one-way” basis, which only allows actual costs to be recovered up to a pre-established cap, or a “two-way” basis, which allows actual costs to be recovered, subject to CPUC review. For more information, see “Regulatory Matters - Cost Recovery Proceedings” in Item 7. MD&A and Note 4 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

California IOUs are responsible for procuring electrical capacity required to meet bundled customer demand, plus applicable reserve margins, that are not satisfied from their own generation facilities and existing electric contracts. The utilities are responsible for scheduling and bidding electric generation resources, including certain electricity procured from third parties into the wholesale market, to meet customer demand according to which resources are the least expensive (i.e., using the principles of “least-cost dispatch”). In addition, the utilities are required to obtain CPUC approval of their BPPs based on long-term demand forecasts. In October 2015, the CPUC approved the Utility’s most recent comprehensive BPP. It was revised since its initial approval and will remain in effect as revised until superseded by a subsequent CPUC-approved plan.

California law allows electric utilities to recover the costs incurred in compliance with their CPUC-approved BPPs without further after-the-fact reasonableness review by the CPUC. The CPUC may disallow costs associated with electricity purchases if the costs were not incurred in compliance with the CPUC-approved plan or if the CPUC determines that the utility failed to follow the principles of least-cost dispatch. Additionally, the CPUC may disallow the value of lost generation due to unplanned outages at utility-owned generation facilities.

The Utility recovers its electric procurement costs annually primarily through balancing accounts. See Note 4 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. Each year, the CPUC reviews the Utility’s forecasted procurement costs related to power purchase agreements, derivative instruments, GHG emissions costs, and generation fuel expense, and approves a forecasted revenue requirement. The CPUC may adjust the Utility’s retail electric rates more frequently if the forecasted aggregate over-collections or under-collections in the Energy Resource Recovery Account, net of Portfolio Allocation Balancing Account balances, exceed five percent of its prior year electric procurement and Utility-owned generation revenues. The CPUC performs an annual compliance review of the procurement transactions recovered in various balancing accounts, including the Energy Resource Recovery Account and the Portfolio Allocation Balancing Account.

The CPUC has approved various power purchase agreements that the Utility has entered into with third parties in accordance with the Utility’s CPUC-approved BPP, to meet mandatory renewable energy targets, and to comply with RA requirements. For more information, see “Electric Utility Operations - Electricity Resources” below as well as Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The Utility is also responsible, as the central procurement entity (“CPE”) for its distribution service area, for seeking to procure the entire amount of required local RA on behalf of all load serving entities in its distribution service area. The decision grants the Utility, acting as CPE, discretion to defer procurement of local resources to the CAISO’s backstop mechanisms if bid costs are deemed unreasonably high. The Utility, as the CPE, will not be assessed fines or penalties for failing to procure resources to meet the local RA requirements and deferring local procurement to the CAISO backstop mechanism, as long as the CPE exercised reasonable efforts to secure capacity and certain specified requirements are met. In connection with its CPE function, the Utility is responsible for making compliance demonstrations to the CPUC and the CAISO. The Utility recovers its administrative and procurement costs associated with its CPE function through a balancing account. Each year, the CPUC reviews the Utility’s forecasted administrative costs related to the CPE function and approves a forecasted revenue requirement associated with the administrative costs. The CPUC performs an annual compliance review of the CPE function, including procurement transactions with terms of five years or less (for which costs incurred in compliance with certain prescribed criteria are deemed reasonable and pre-approved without further after-the-fact reasonableness review). Procurement transactions with terms exceeding five years are reviewed separately. The CPUC may disallow costs associated with the CPE function that were not incurred in compliance with the CPUC’s decisions and guidance.

The CPUC has also approved the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (“PCIA”). The PCIA is a cost recovery mechanism to ensure that customers who switch from the Utility’s bundled service to a non-Utility provider, such as a DA or CCA provider, pay their share of the above market costs associated with long-term power purchase commitments and Utility-owned generation made on their behalf.

The Utility recovers the cost of gas used in generation facilities as a cost of electricity that is recovered annually through retail electric rates.

The Utility sets the natural gas procurement rate for small commercial and residential customers (referred to as “core” customers) monthly, based on the forecasted costs of natural gas, core pipeline capacity and storage costs. The Utility recovers the cost of gas purchased on behalf of core customers as well as the cost of derivative instruments for its core gas portfolio, through its retail gas rates, subject to limits as set forth in its CPIM described below. The Utility reflects the difference between actual natural gas purchase costs and forecasted natural gas purchase costs in several natural gas balancing accounts, with under-collections and over-collections taken into account in subsequent monthly rate changes.

The CPIM protects the Utility against after-the-fact reasonableness reviews of its gas procurement costs for its core gas portfolio. Under the CPIM, the Utility’s natural gas purchase costs for a fixed 12-month period are compared to an aggregate market-based benchmark based on a weighted average of published monthly and daily natural gas price indices at the points where the Utility typically purchases natural gas. Costs that fall within a tolerance band, which is 99% to 102% of the commodity benchmark, are considered reasonable and are fully recovered through rates. One-half of the costs above 102% of the benchmark are recoverable through rates, and the Utility’s customers receive in their rates 80% of any savings resulting from the Utility’s cost of natural gas that is less than 99% of the benchmark. The Utility retains the remaining amount of these savings as incentive revenues, subject to a cap equal to 1.5% of total natural gas commodity costs. While this mechanism remains in place, changes in the price of natural gas, consistent with the market-based benchmark, are not expected to materially impact net income.

The Utility incurs transportation costs under various agreements with interstate and Canadian third-party transportation service providers. These providers transport natural gas from the points at which the Utility takes delivery of natural gas (typically in Canada, the U.S. Rocky Mountains, and the southwestern United States) to the points at which the Utility’s natural gas transportation system begins.  These agreements are governed by the FERC-approved tariffs that detail rates, rules, and terms of service for the provision of natural gas transportation services to the Utility on interstate and Canadian pipelines. The FERC approves the United States tariffs that shippers, including the Utility, pay for pipeline service, and the applicable Canadian tariffs are approved by the National Energy Board, a Canadian regulatory agency. The transportation costs the Utility incurs under these agreements are recovered through CPUC-approved rates as core natural gas procurement costs or as a cost of electricity.

The CPUC authorizes the Utility to recover the costs of various public purpose and other customer programs through the collection of rates from most Utility customers.  These programs relate to energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, energy research and development, and other matters.  Additionally, the CPUC has authorized the Utility to provide discounted rates for specified types of customers, such as for low-income customers under the CARE program, which is paid for by the Utility’s other customers.

The Utility’s nuclear power facilities consist of two units at Diablo Canyon and the retired facility at Humboldt Bay. Nuclear decommissioning requires the safe removal of nuclear facilities from service and the reduction of residual radioactivity to a level that permits termination of the NRC license and release of the property for unrestricted use. Nuclear decommissioning costs are generally collected in advance through rates and are held in nuclear decommissioning trusts to be used for the eventual decommissioning of each nuclear unit. The Utility files an application with the CPUC every three years requesting approval of the Utility’s updated estimated decommissioning costs and any rate change necessary to fully fund the nuclear decommissioning trusts to the levels needed to decommission the Utility’s nuclear plants. If the nuclear decommissioning trusts are overfunded, the amount of such overfunding will be returned to customers. Pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 8325, to the extent the monies available for decommissioning are insufficient to pay for all reasonable and prudent decommissioning costs, the CPUC must authorize the electric utility to collect these charges from its customers.

For costs related to AROs see “Nuclear Decommissioning Obligation” in Note 3 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility had approximately 26,000 regular employees, 11 of whom were employees of PG&E Corporation. Of the Utility’s regular employees, approximately 16,000 are covered by collective bargaining agreements with the local chapters of three labor unions: the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”) Local 1245; the Engineers and Scientists of California (“ESC”) IFPTE 20; and the Service Employees International Union Local 24/7 (“SEIU”). The collective bargaining agreements currently in effect for the IBEW Local 1245 and ESC Local 20 will expire on December 31, 2025. The agreements increase wages annually by 3.75% from 2022 through 2025 and maintain current contributions to specified benefits. The IBEW and ESC represent approximately 62% of the Utility’s employee workforce and support several areas of the Utility’s business, including gas and electric operations. The term of the SEIU bargaining agreement ended on December 31, 2021. The parties have reached an agreement which is pending ratification by the SEIU. The Utility enjoys stable and productive relationships with its unions and did not experience any work stoppages in 2021.

PG&E Corporation’s employees are primarily at the executive management level, which experienced significant employee turnover throughout the course of its Chapter 11 Cases in 2019 and 2020. The Utility generally has a stable workforce, which translated into low voluntary turnover during that period. The Utility’s turnover rates for 2021 and 2020 were 5.8% and 4.7%, respectively. Approximately 41% of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s employees have a tenure of more than 10 years, with an average tenure of 11 years. Currently, approximately 21% of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s employees are eligible to retire. (PG&E Corporation and the Utility define retirement age as 55 years and older.)

The Utility’s contractors and subcontractors include approximately 35,300 individuals from approximately 1,560 contractor companies.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s human capital resource objectives are to build and retain an engaged, well trained, diverse, and equitable workforce. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Boards of Directors are responsible for overseeing management’s development and execution of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s human capital strategy.

To build employee engagement, the Utility has a variety of both executive-level and employee-led initiatives and programs. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s executive teams meet regularly to discuss and evaluate the state of employee talent, determine which programs are driving engagement and performance, and clarify the specific skills, behaviors, and values that should be cultivated. Each year, the Utility honors employees whose work embodies safety, diversity and inclusion, environmental leadership, and community service. The Utility conducts a biennial employee engagement survey, quarterly pulse surveys, and voluntary upward feedback surveys to measure and track employee engagement progress.

Every year, PG&E Corporation and the Utility offer or require technical, leadership, and employee training, which includes a range of technical training for employees on the knowledge and skills required to perform their jobs safely using approved tools and work procedures. In addition, employees are required to complete an annual compliance and ethics training and a Code of Conduct training, both of which are intended to promote a culture in which employees are encouraged to speak up with any concerns or ideas for continuous improvement. In addition, the Utility offers a variety of other trainings and education opportunities.

Among other programs, the Utility provides career opportunities through its Power Pathway™ workforce development program. Launched in 2008, PowerPathway is a workforce development model to enlarge the talent pool of local, qualified, diverse candidates for skilled craft and utility industry jobs through training program partnerships with educational, community-based and government organizations. PowerPathway helps people throughout the Utility service territory, including women and military veterans, prepare and compete for high demand jobs in the utility and energy industry. Students receive approximately eight weeks of industry-informed curriculum to ensure the academic, job specific, employability skills and physical training necessary to effectively compete for entry-level employment. Programs may also include hands-on training and on-the-job training.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility also provide integrated solutions and programs that cover employee health and wellness and that encompass physical, emotional, and financial health, including an on-site health clinic, an annual health screening, and health management tools and resources, in addition to more traditional programs.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial incentives offered to employees include a Short-Term Incentive Plan (“STIP”), an at-risk part of employee compensation designed to reward eligible employees for achieving specific performance goals. The 2021 STIP was focused on company objectives of safety, customer impact, and financial health.

All PG&E Corporation or Utility officer compensation currently is funded by shareholders.

The Utility has developed a five-year workforce safety strategy that includes two major pillars: systems and culture. Systems refers to risk management, equipment, processes and procedures. Culture refers to employee engagement, adherence to established requirements, a sense of urgency for safety, and leadership. Focus areas in the Utility’s workplace safety strategy include: an enterprise safety management system, enhanced risk management, strengthening the contractor management program, improvement of safety technical standards, ergonomics, safety audits, improving data management and reporting systems, and enhancing safety leadership training. For employees and contractors performing medium- and high-risk work, the Utility’s safety metrics include the number of SIF-A incidents and the SIF-P rate, which measures events that could have resulted in a SIF-A per 200,000 hours worked. In 2021, the Utility had five SIF-A events, which resulted in three fatalities and three serious injuries, and a SIF-P rate of 0.11, which was 10% higher than the SIF-P rate in 2020. The requirement for contractors to report SIF-P events was implemented in June 2020. Additionally, the Utility measures DART. In 2021, the Utility’s DART was 1.01, which was 25% lower than in 2020 and its lowest rate in the past five years.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have continued to monitor activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have updated their protocols and actions in accordance with guidance from these organizations, following state and local health and safety regulations, and in consultation with the Utility’s medical director. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have also remained focused on protecting the health and safety of their employees, contractors and the Utility’s customers, while continuing to perform critical utility work, and have continued to monitor and track the impact of the pandemic, modifying or adopting new policies in support of their employees’ health and safety as pandemic conditions and governmental response have changed. For example, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have directed employees to work remotely from home where possible, implemented face coverings, physical distancing policies, and required a daily health check when an employee works outside his or her home, required virtual ergonomic evaluations to ensure that employees working from home so do safely and ergonomically, provided additional COVID-19 safety resources for employees who perform utility work in the field, and updated several of their employee benefits as a result of COVID-19, including healthcare benefits and interim time off and leave policies that support the care and new educational environment of children during the pandemic.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s goal is to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that enables all of their coworkers to bring their best selves to work so that they can provide exceptional customer service. These efforts are led by PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Executive Vice President, People, Shared Services and Supply Chain, with support from the executive team. The People and Compensation Committee of PG&E Corporation’s Board of Directors reviews the companies’ diversity and inclusion practices and performance.

Key elements of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s approach include active programming to heighten cultural competency, encourage understanding and appreciation of diversity, and integrate thoughtful content into training and performance support materials.

Additionally, the Utility’s 11 Employee Resource Groups and three Engineering Network Groups execute enterprise-wide programming, certain coworkers lead efforts within their departments, and other specialized teams facilitate dialogue across the companies. These efforts foster employee belonging and support an environment of inclusion that values and respects diversity in the workforce.

In 2021, women, minorities, and military veterans accounted for approximately 27%, 48% and 7%, respectively, of total PG&E Corporation and Utility employees. Approximately 8% of the Utility’s employees are younger than 30, 60% are between the ages of 30 and 49, and 32% are 50 or older.

The Utility generates electricity and provides electric transmission and distribution services throughout its service territory in northern and central California to residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural customers. The Utility provides “bundled” services (i.e., electricity, transmission, and distribution services) to customers in its service territory. Customers also can obtain electricity from alternative providers such as municipalities or CCAs, as well as from self-generation resources, such as rooftop solar installations. For more information, see “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

The Utility is required to maintain capacity adequate to meet its customers’ demand for electricity (“load”), including peak demand and planning and operating reserves, deliverable to the locations and at times as may be necessary to provide reliable electric service. The Utility is responsible for scheduling and bidding electric generation resources, including certain electricity procured from third parties into the wholesale market, to meet customer demand.

The following table shows the percentage of the Utility’s estimated total net deliveries of electricity to customers in 2021 represented by each major electric resource, and further discussed below. The Utility’s deliveries were primarily from renewable energy resources that qualify under California’s RPS and other GHG-free resources (i.e., nuclear, and large hydroelectric generation). California’s RPS requirements and SB 100 goal to serve 100% of retail electricity sales with GHG-free resources by 2045 are discussed further below and in the Environmental Regulation section above.

California law established an RPS that requires LSEs, such as the Utility, to gradually increase the amount of renewable energy they deliver to their customers. SB 350 increased the amount of renewable energy that must be delivered by most LSEs, including the Utility, to their customers from 33% of their total annual retail sales by the end of the 2017-2020 compliance period, to 50% of their total annual retail sales by the end of the 2028- 2030 compliance period, and in each three-year compliance period thereafter, unless changed by legislative action. SB 350 provides compliance flexibility and waiver mechanisms, including increased flexibility to apply excess renewable energy procurement in one compliance period to future compliance periods. In September 2018, the California Governor signed SB 100 into law, increasing from 50% to 60% of California’s electricity portfolio that must come from renewables by 2030; and established state policy that 100% of all retail electricity sales must come from RPS-eligible or carbon-free resources by 2045. The Utility may in the future incur additional costs to procure renewable energy to meet the new renewable energy targets, which the Utility expects will continue to be recoverable through rates as “pass-through” costs. The Utility also may be subject to penalties for failure to meet the higher targets. The CPUC is required to open a new rulemaking proceeding to adopt regulations to implement the higher renewable targets.

Renewable generation resources, for purposes of the RPS requirements, include bioenergy such as biogas and biomass, certain hydroelectric facilities (30 MW or less), wind, solar, and geothermal energy. RPS requirements are based on procurement, which aligns with the methodology presented in the first column of the table above. Procurement from renewable energy sources was estimated as 50% in 2021.

Energy storage improves system reliability and supports California’s decarbonization goals by integrating increased levels of renewable energy. The CPUC has established a multi-year energy storage procurement framework, under which the Utility was required to procure 580 MW of qualifying storage capacity by the end of 2020, with all energy storage projects required to be operational by the end of 2024. As of December 31, 2021, the Utility was on track to meet its storage goals by the end of 2024.

Additionally, the Utility has been actively procuring energy storage to meet critical reliability needs. The CPUC previously approved more than 1,100 MW of storage to come online in 2022 and 2023. In January 2022, the Utility also requested CPUC approval for another 1,600 MW of storage to be completed by the summer of 2024, which would bring the Utility’s total energy storage system capacity to more than 3,330 MW. Finally, the Utility expects to solicit 200 MW of long-duration storage, which is storage with at least eight hours of discharge capacity, in 2022 to have these resources online between 2026 and 2028.

The Utility has entered into various agreements to purchase power and electric capacity, including agreements for renewable energy resources, in accordance with its CPUC-approved procurement plan. See “Ratemaking Mechanisms” above. For more information regarding the Utility’s power purchase agreements, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

At December 31, 2021, the Utility owned approximately 18,000 circuit miles of interconnected transmission lines operating at voltages ranging from 60 kV to 500 kV. The Utility also operated 33 electric transmission substations with a capacity of approximately 70,000 MVA. The Utility’s electric transmission system is interconnected with electric power systems in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, which includes many western states, the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and parts of Mexico.

Decisions about expansions and maintenance of the transmission system can be influenced by decisions of the Utility’s regulators and the CAISO.

The Utility’s electric distribution network consists of approximately 108,000 circuit miles of distribution lines (of which, as of December 31, 2021, approximately 25% are underground and approximately 75% are overhead), 67 transmission switching substations, and 753 distribution substations with a capacity of approximately 35,000 MVA. The Utility’s distribution network interconnects with its transmission system, primarily at switching and distribution substations, where equipment reduces the high-voltage transmission voltages to lower voltages, ranging from 44 kV to 2.4 kV, suitable for distribution to the Utility’s customers.

These distribution substations serve as the central hubs for the Utility’s electric distribution network. Emanating from each substation are primary and secondary distribution lines connected to local transformers and switching equipment that link distribution lines and provide delivery to end-users. In some cases, the Utility sells electricity from its distribution facilities to entities, such as municipal and other utilities, that resell the electricity. The Utility operates electric distribution control center facilities in Concord, Rocklin, and Fresno, California; these control centers form a key part of the Utility’s efforts to create a smarter, more resilient grid.

The Utility generally does not provide procurement service to non-core customers, which must purchase their gas supplies from third-party suppliers, unless the customer is a natural gas-fired generation facility with which the Utility has a power purchase agreement that includes its generation fuel expense. The Utility offers backbone gas transmission, gas delivery (local transmission and distribution), and gas storage services as separate and distinct services to its non-core customers.  Access to the Utility’s backbone gas transmission system is available for all natural gas marketers and shippers, as well as non-core customers.  The Utility also delivers gas to off-system customers (i.e., outside of the Utility’s service territory) and to third-party natural gas storage customers.

The Utility can receive natural gas from all the major natural gas basins in western North America, including basins in western Canada, the Rocky Mountains, and the southwestern United States. The Utility can also receive natural gas from fields in California. The Utility purchases natural gas to serve its core customers directly from producers and marketers in both Canada and the United States. The contract lengths and natural gas sources of the Utility’s portfolio of natural gas purchase contracts have varied generally based on market conditions. During 2021, the Utility purchased approximately 302,000 MMcf of natural gas (net of the sale of excess supply of gas). Substantially all of this natural gas was purchased under contracts with a term of one year or less. The Utility’s largest individual supplier represented approximately 43% of the total natural gas volume the Utility purchased during 2021.

The Utility owns and operates an integrated natural gas transmission, storage, and distribution system that includes most of northern and central California. At December 31, 2021, the Utility’s natural gas system consisted of approximately 43,800 miles of distribution pipelines, over 6,200 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and various storage facilities. The Utility owns and operates eight natural gas compressor stations on its backbone transmission system and one small station on its local transmission system that are used to move gas through the Utility’s pipelines. The Utility’s backbone transmission system, composed primarily of Lines 300, 400, and 401, is used to transport gas from the Utility’s interconnection with interstate pipelines, other local distribution companies, and California gas fields to the Utility’s local transmission and distribution systems.

The Utility has firm transportation agreements for delivery of natural gas from western Canada to the United States-Canada border with TransCanada NOVA Gas Transmission, Ltd. interconnecting downstream with TransCanada Foothills Pipe Lines Ltd., B.C. System. The Foothills system interconnects at the border to the pipeline system owned by Gas Transmission Northwest, LLC, which provides natural gas transportation services to a point of interconnection with the Utility’s natural gas transportation system on the Oregon-California border near Malin, Oregon. The Utility also has firm transportation agreements with Ruby Pipeline, LLC to transport natural gas from the U.S. Rocky Mountains to the interconnection point with the Utility’s natural gas transportation system in the area of Malin, Oregon, at the California border. Similarly, the Utility has a firm transportation agreement with Transwestern Pipeline Company, LLC to transport natural gas from supply points in the southwestern United States to interconnection points with the Utility’s natural gas transportation system in the area of California near Topock, Arizona. (For more information regarding the Utility’s natural gas transportation agreements, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.)

The Utility owns and operates three underground natural gas storage fields and has a 25% interest in a fourth storage field, all of which are connected to the Utility’s gas transmission system.  In 2019, the CPUC approved the discontinuation, through closure or sale, of operations at two of the Utility’s owned and operated gas storage fields, Pleasant Creek and Los Medanos. The Utility expects to sell Pleasant Creek in 2022 in accordance with the CPUC’s final decision in the 2019 GT&S rate case. The Utility intends to retain the Los Medanos field to further support system supply reliability as proposed in the 2023 GRC. The Utility owns and operates compressors and other facilities at these storage fields that are used to inject gas into the fields for storage and later for withdrawal.  In addition, four independent storage operators are interconnected to the Utility’s Northern California gas transmission system.

In 2021, the Utility continued upgrading transmission pipeline to allow for the use of in-line inspection tools and continued its work on the final recommendation from the NTSB’s 2010-11 San Bruno investigation to hydrostatically test all high consequence pipeline mileage. The Utility currently plans to complete this NTSB recommendation by 2022 for remaining short pipeline segments that include tie-in pieces, fittings or smaller diameter off-takes from the larger transmission pipelines.

California law allows qualifying non-residential electric customers of IOUs to purchase electricity from energy service providers rather than from the utilities up to certain annual limits specified for each utility. This arrangement is known as DA. In 2018, the California legislature passed a bill to expand the annual statewide DA cap by 4,000 GWh and directed the CPUC to consider whether DA should be further expanded. In addition, California law permits cities, counties, and certain other public agencies that have qualified to become a CCA to generate or purchase electricity for their local residents and businesses. By law, a CCA can procure electricity for all of its residents and businesses that do not affirmatively elect to continue to receive electricity generated or procured by a utility. In 2019, the CPUC issued an order implementing the 4,000 GWh increase for DA transactions, including an apportionment to the Utility’s service area of approximately 1,873 GWh.

On June 24, 2021, the CPUC adopted a decision further implementing the 2018 legislation. In that decision, the CPUC recommended against further legislative expansion of DA at this time. Although a CPUC staff report issued in September 2020 had recommended expanding DA at a rate of ten percent each year, the CPUC ultimately found that recent reliability events and the current integrated resource planning forecasted needs for additional generation prevented a need for further DA reopening. The CPUC found that expanded DA would result in further fragmentation of the electric market in California and raise electric system reliability concerns. Additionally, the CPUC based its recommendation in part on DA providers’ primary reliance on unspecified power sources, which it found may not support California’s climate goals.

The Utility continues to provide transmission, distribution, metering, and billing services to DA customers at the election of their energy service provider. The CCA customers continue to obtain transmission, distribution, metering, and billing services from the Utility. In addition to collecting charges for transmission, distribution, metering, and billing services that it provides, the Utility is able to collect charges intended to recover the generation-related costs that the Utility incurred on behalf of DA and CCA customers while they were the Utility’s customers. The Utility remains the electricity provider of last resort for these customers. Section 387 of the Public Utilities Code allows for a request to transfer the responsibilities of the provider of last resort obligation from IOUs to other entities.

The Utility is also impacted by the increasing viability of distributed generation and energy storage. The levels of self-generation of electricity by customers (primarily solar installations) and the use of customer NEM, which allows self-generating customers employing qualifying renewable resources to receive bill credits at the full retail rate, are increasing, putting upward rate pressure on remaining customers. New NEM customers are required to pay an interconnection fee, utilize time of use rates, and are required to pay certain non-bypassable charges to help fund some of the costs of low income, energy efficiency, and other programs that other customers pay. Significantly higher bills for remaining customers may result in a decline of the number of such customers as they may seek alternative energy providers or adopt self-generation technologies. See “Rising rates for the Utility’s customers could result in circumstances in which the Utility is unable to fully recover costs or earn its authorized ROE” in Item 1A. Risk Factors and “Regulatory Matters-OIR to Revisit Net Energy Metering Tariffs” in Item 7. MD&A.

Further, in some circumstances, governmental entities such as cities and irrigation districts may have authority under the state constitution or state statute to provide retail electric service directly to consumers. Those entities may rely upon FERC open access tariffs and Utility infrastructure to deliver energy to them at wholesale rates for resale at retail to existing or potential new Utility customers. These entities may also seek to acquire the Utility’s transmission or distribution facilities through eminent domain for use in serving electricity at retail to existing or potential new Utility customers. During the Chapter 11 Cases, multiple entities communicated their interest in acquiring Utility assets through voluntary sales. It is also expected that some publicly-owned utilities will construct duplicate or new transmission or distribution facilities to serve existing or potential new Utility customers. In some instances, microgrid formation is a key factor in a community’s choice to engage governmental entities.

The Utility also competes for the opportunity to develop and construct certain types of electric transmission facilities within, or interconnected to, its service territory through a competitive bidding process managed by the CAISO.

The effect of such types of retail competition generally is to reduce the number of utility customers, leading to a reduction in the Utility’s rate base.

For risks in connection with increasing competition, see Item 1A. Risk Factors.

The Utility competes with other natural gas pipeline companies for customers transporting natural gas into the southern California market on the basis of transportation rates, access to competitively priced supplies of natural gas, and the quality and reliability of transportation services. The Utility also competes for storage services with other third-party storage providers, primarily in Northern California.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial results can be affected by many factors, including estimates and assumptions used in the critical accounting estimates described in Item 7. MD&A, that can cause their actual financial results to differ materially from historical results or from anticipated future financial results.  The following discussion of key risk factors should be considered in evaluating an investment in PG&E Corporation and the Utility and should be read in conjunction with Item 7. MD&A and the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this 2021 Form 10-K.  Any of these factors, in whole or in part, could materially affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The following is a summary of the principal risks that could adversely affect our business, operations, and financial results. These risks are discussed more fully below.

If the Utility does not have an approved WMP, the Utility will not be issued a safety certification and will consequently not benefit from the presumption of prudency or the AB 1054 disallowance cap. Under AB 1054, the Utility is required to maintain a safety certification issued by the OEIS to be eligible for certain benefits, including a cap on Wildfire Fund reimbursement and a reformed prudent manager standard. The AB 1054 Wildfire Fund disallowance cap, which caps the amount of liability that the Utility could be required to bear for a catastrophic wildfire, is inapplicable if the Wildfire Fund administrator determines that the electric utility company’s actions or inactions that resulted in the applicable wildfire constituted “conscious or willful disregard for the rights and safety of others,” or the electric utility company fails to maintain a valid safety certification at the time the applicable wildfire ignited. In addition, if the Utility fails to maintain a valid safety certificate at the time a wildfire ignites, the initial burden of proof in a prudency proceeding shifts from intervenors to the Utility. The Utility will be required to reimburse amounts that are determined by the CPUC not to be just and reasonable. For more information on the disallowance cap, see Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

Furthermore, the Wildfire Fund will only be available for payment of eligible claims so long as there are sufficient funds remaining in the Wildfire Fund. Such funds could be depleted more quickly than expected, including as a result of claims made by California’s other participating electric utility companies. If the Utility is unable to maintain an AB 1054 safety certification or if the Wildfire Fund is exhausted, the ineffectiveness of the Wildfire Fund could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. Also, the Utility will not be able to obtain any recovery from the Wildfire Fund for wildfire-related losses in any year that do not exceed the greater of $1.0 billion in the aggregate and the amount of insurance coverage required under AB 1054.

The costs of participating in the Wildfire Fund are expected to exceed $6.7 billion over the anticipated ten-year contribution period for the fund. The timing and amount of any potential charges associated with the Utility’s contributions would also depend on various factors. In addition, there could also be a significant delay between the occurrence of a wildfire and the timing on which the Utility recognizes impairment for the reduction in future coverage, due to the lack of data available to the Utility following a catastrophic event, especially if the wildfire occurs in the service territory of another participating electric utility. Participation in the Wildfire Fund is expected to have a material impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows, and there can be no assurance that the benefits of participating in the Wildfire Fund ultimately outweigh these substantial costs.

Based on the facts and circumstances available as of the date of this report, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have determined that it is probable they will incur losses in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire and the 2021 Dixie fire. Although PG&E Corporation and the Utility have recorded liabilities for probable losses in connection with these fires, these liability estimates correspond to the lower end of the range of reasonably estimable losses, do not include several categories of potential damages that are not reasonably estimable, and are subject to change based on new information.

Although there are a number of unknown facts surrounding Cal Fire’s causation determinations of the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, and the 2021 Dixie fire, the Utility could be subject to significant liability in excess of recoveries that would be expected to have a material impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have also received and have responded or are responding to document, data, and other information requests from the CPUC’s SED and law enforcement agencies that are investigating these wildfires. PG&E Corporation and the Utility could be the subject of additional investigations, lawsuits, or enforcement actions in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, the 2021 Dixie fire or other wildfires. For more information, see Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

Under California law (including Penal Code section 1202.4), if the Utility were convicted of any of the charges in the Kincade Amended Complaint or the Zogg Complaint, the sentencing court must order the Utility to “make restitution to the victim or victims in an amount established by court order” that is “sufficient to fully reimburse the victim or victims for every determined economic loss incurred as the result of” the Utility’s underlying conduct, in addition to interest and the victim’s or victims’ attorneys’ fees. This requirement for full reimbursement of economic loss is not waivable by either the government or the victims and is not offset by any compensation that the victims have received or may receive from their insurance carriers. In the event that the Utility were convicted of certain charges in the Kincade Amended Complaint or the Zogg Complaint, the Utility currently believes that, depending on which charges it were to be convicted of, its total losses associated with each of the Kincade Amended Complaint and the Zogg Complaint would materially exceed the $800 million and the $375 million aggregate liability that PG&E Corporation and the Utility have recorded to reflect the lower end of the range of the reasonably estimable range of losses for the 2019 Kincade fire and 2020 Zogg fire civil claims, respectively. The Utility is currently unable to determine a reasonable estimate of the amount of such additional losses. The Utility does not expect that any of its liability insurance would be available to cover restitution payments ordered by the court presiding over the criminal proceeding.

There have also been numerous other wildfires in the Utility’s service territory, of which the Utility has not been alleged or determined to be a cause. The Utility could be alleged or determined to be a cause of one or more of these wildfires.

Additionally, under the doctrine of inverse condemnation, courts have imposed liability against utilities on the grounds that losses borne by the person whose property was damaged through a public-use undertaking should be spread across the community that benefited from such undertaking, even if the utility is unable to recover these costs through rates. In fact, in December 2017, the CPUC denied recovery of costs that San Diego Gas & Electric Company stated it had incurred as a result of the doctrine of inverse condemnation. Legal challenges to that denial were unsuccessful. Plaintiffs have asserted and continue to assert the doctrine of inverse condemnation in lawsuits related to certain wildfires that occurred in the Utility’s service territory. Inverse condemnation imposes strict liability (including liability for attorneys’ fees) for damages as a result of the design, construction and maintenance of utility facilities, including utilities’ electric transmission lines. While the Utility currently continues to dispute the applicability of inverse condemnation to the Utility, there can be no assurance that the Utility will be successful in challenging the applicability of inverse condemnation in the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, the 2021 Dixie fire, or other litigation against PG&E Corporation or the Utility.

Although the Utility has taken extensive measures to reduce the threat of future wildfires, the potential that the Utility’s equipment will be involved in the ignition of future wildfires, including catastrophic wildfires, is significant. This risk may be attributable to, and exacerbated by, a variety of factors, including climate (in particular extended periods of seasonal dryness coupled with periods of high wind velocities and other storms), infrastructure, and vegetation conditions. Despite significant investment in mitigation measures to improve infrastructure and manage vegetation, as well as implementation of de-energization strategies, the Utility may not be successful in mitigating the risk of future wildfires.

In addition, wildfires have had and, along with any future wildfires, could continue to have, adverse consequences on the Utility’s proceedings with the CPUC (including the Safety Culture OII) and the FERC, and future regulatory proceedings, including future applications with the OEIS for the safety certification required by AB 1054. PG&E Corporation and the Utility may also suffer additional reputational harm and face an even more challenging operating, political, and regulatory environment as a result of the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, the 2021 Dixie fire or any future wildfires. For more information about the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, and the 2021 Dixie fire, see Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The Utility could incur substantial costs in excess of insurance coverage or amounts potentially available under the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 in the future in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire and the 2021 Dixie fire. There can be no assurance that the Utility will be allowed to recover costs in excess of insurance or amounts potentially available under the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 in the future either through FERC TO rates or as costs recorded to the WEMA, even if a court decision were to determine that the Utility is liable as a result of the application of the doctrine of inverse condemnation. The inability to recover all or a significant portion of costs in excess of insurance through rates or by collecting such rates in a timely manner could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. For more information on wildfire recovery risk, see “The Wildfire Fund and other provisions of AB 1054 may not effectively mitigate the risk of liability for damages arising from catastrophic wildfires” above, “The Utility’s insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover losses caused by an operating failure or catastrophic events, including severe weather events and events resulting from these conditions (including wildfires), or may not be available at a reasonable cost, or available at all” below, and Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The Utility’s infrastructure is aging and poses risks to safety and system reliability. Although the Utility spends significant resources on initiatives designed to mitigate wildfire risks, there is no assurance that these initiatives will be successful or effective in reducing wildfire-related losses or that their costs will be fully recoverable through rates. The Utility will face a higher likelihood of catastrophic wildfires in its service territory if it cannot effectively implement these efforts and its WMPs. For example, the Utility may not be able to effectively implement its WMPs if it experiences unanticipated difficulties relative to sourcing, engaging, training, overseeing and retaining contract workers it needs to fulfill its mitigation obligations under the WMPs. The CPUC may assess penalties on the Utility if it finds that the Utility has failed to substantially comply with its WMPs.

There can be no assurance that the Utility’s wildfire mitigation initiatives will be effective. For instance, a wildfire may be ignited and spread even in conditions that do not trigger proactive de-energization according to criteria for initiating a PSPS event. The Utility’s inspections of vegetation near its assets may not detect structural weaknesses within a tree or other issues. If the Utility’s wildfire mitigation initiatives are not effective, a wildfire could be ignited and spread.

The PSPS program has been subject to significant scrutiny and criticism by various stakeholders, including customers, regulators, and lawmakers. The Utility also is the subject of a class action litigation in connection with the 2019 PSPS events.

In addition, on a risk-informed basis, the Utility is making efforts to reduce the frequency and impacts of PSPS. The Utility may be subject to mandated changes to, or restrictions on, its operational practices, regulatory fines and penalties, claims for damages, and reputational harm if the Utility does not execute PSPS in compliance with applicable rules and regulations. The Utility establishes the criteria under which it implements PSPS in its territory. To the extent the Utility’s criteria for implementing PSPS are not sufficient to mitigate the risk of wildfires, the Utility does not fully implement PSPS when criteria are met due to other overriding conditions or the Utility’s regulators mandate changes to, or restrictions on, its criteria or other operational PSPS practices, the Utility will face a higher likelihood of catastrophic wildfires in its territory during high-risk weather conditions.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility cannot predict the timing and outcome of the various proceedings and litigation in connection with its wildfire mitigation initiatives. PG&E Corporation and the Utility could be subject to additional investigations, regulatory proceedings or other enforcement actions as well as to additional litigation and claims by customers as a result of the Utility’s implementation of its wildfire mitigation initiatives, which could result in fines, penalties, customer rebates or other payments. The amount of any fines, penalties, customer rebates or other payments (if PG&E Corporation or the Utility were to issue any credits, rebates or other payments in connection with any other wildfire mitigation initiatives or liability for damages) could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. In addition, the PSPS and EPSS programs have had an adverse impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reputation with customers, regulators and policymakers and future PSPS and EPSS events may increase these negative perceptions. For more information, see “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

The Utility owns and operates extensive electricity and natural gas facilities, including two nuclear generation units and an extensive hydroelectric generating system. See “Electric Utility Operations” and “Natural Gas Utility Operations” in Item 1. above. The Utility undertakes substantial capital investment projects to construct, replace, and improve its electricity and natural gas facilities. In addition, the Utility is obligated to decommission its electricity generation facilities at the end of their useful operating lives, and the CPUC approved retirement of Diablo Canyon by 2024 and 2025. For more information, see “The operation and decommissioning of the Utility’s nuclear generation facilities expose it to potentially significant liabilities and the Utility may not be able to fully recover its costs if regulatory requirements or operating conditions change or the facilities cease operations before the licenses expire” below.

The Utility’s ability to efficiently construct, maintain, operate, protect, and decommission its facilities, and provide electricity and natural gas services safely and reliably is subject to numerous risks, many of which are beyond the Utility’s control, including those that arise from:

The occurrence of any of these events could interrupt fuel supplies, affect demand for electricity or natural gas, cause unplanned outages or reduce generating output, damage the Utility’s assets or operations, damage the assets or operations of third parties on which the Utility relies, damage property owned by customers or others, and cause personal injury or death. As a result, the Utility could incur costs to purchase replacement power, to repair assets and restore service, and to compensate third parties. Any of such incidents also could lead to significant claims against the Utility.

Further, although the Utility often enters into agreements for third-party contractors to perform work, such as patrolling and inspection of facilities, vegetation management, or the construction or demolition or facilities, the Utility may have less control over contractors than its employees and may retain liability for the quality and completion of the contractor’s work and can be subject to penalties or other enforcement action if the contractor violates applicable laws, rules, regulations, or orders. The Utility may also be subject to liability, penalties or other enforcement action as a result of personal injury or death caused by third-party contractor actions.

Insurance, equipment warranties, or other contractual indemnification requirements may not be sufficient or effective to provide full or even partial recovery under all circumstances or against all hazards or liabilities to which the Utility may become subject. An uninsured loss could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

As a result of the potential application to IOUs of a strict liability standard under the doctrine of inverse condemnation, past losses recorded by insurance companies, past wildfires and the risk of increased wildfires including as a result of climate change, the Utility may not be able to obtain sufficient insurance coverage in the future at a reasonable cost, or at all.

The Utility has experienced increased costs and difficulties in obtaining insurance coverage for wildfires and other risks that could arise from the Utility’s ordinary operations. PG&E Corporation, the Utility or its contractors and customers could continue to experience coverage reductions or increased insurance costs in future years. No assurance can be given that future losses will not exceed the limits of the Utility’s insurance coverage, including losses arising from litigation. Uninsured losses and increases in the cost of insurance may not be recoverable through rates. A loss that is not fully insured or cannot be recovered through rates, and increased insurance costs that are not recoverable, could materially affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The electric power industry is undergoing transformative change driven by technological advancements enabling customer choice and state climate policy supporting a decarbonized economy. California utilities also are experiencing increasing deployment by customers and third parties of distributed energy resources, such as on-site solar generation, energy storage, fuel cells, energy efficiency, and demand response technologies. These developments will require modernization of the electric distribution grid to, among other things, accommodate two-way flows of electricity, increase the grid’s capacity, and interconnect distributed energy resources. In order to enable the California clean energy economy, sustained investments are required in grid modernization, renewable integration projects, energy efficiency programs, energy storage options, EV infrastructure and state infrastructure modernization (e.g., rail and water projects). If the Utility is unable to effectively adapt to these changes, its business model and its ability to execute on its strategy could be materially impacted.

Various jurisdictions within California have enacted prohibitions or restrictions on use and consumption of natural gas, for example in buildings, that will reduce the use of natural gas. Reducing natural gas use could lead to a reduction in the gas customer base and a diminished need for gas infrastructure and, as a result, could lead to certain gas assets no longer being “used and useful,” potentially causing substantial investment value of gas assets to be stranded (under CPUC precedent, when an asset no longer meets the standard of “used and useful,” the asset is removed from rate base, which results in a reduction in associated rate recovery). However, while natural gas demand is projected to decline over time, the costs of operating a safe and reliable gas delivery system in California have been increasing, among other things, to cover the cost of long-term pipeline safety enhancements. Inability by the Utility to recover through rates its investments into the natural gas system while still ensuring gas system safety and reliability could materially affect the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

These industry changes, costs associated with complying with new regulatory developments and initiatives and with technological advancements, or the Utility’s inability to successfully adapt to changes in the electric and gas industry, could materially affect the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The Utility’s electricity and natural gas systems rely on a complex, interconnected network of generation, transmission, distribution, control, and communication technologies, which can be damaged by natural events-such as severe weather or seismic events-and by malicious events, such as cyber and physical attacks. Private and public entities, such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the U.S. federal government, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Energy, and the White House, have noted that cyber-attacks targeting utility systems are increasing in sophistication, magnitude, and frequency. The Utility’s operational networks also may face new cyber security risks due to modernizing and interconnecting the existing infrastructure with new technologies and control systems. Any failure or decrease in the functionality of the Utility’s operational networks could cause harm to the public or employees, significantly disrupt operations, negatively impact the Utility’s ability to safely generate, transport, deliver and store energy and gas or otherwise operate in the most safe and efficient manner or at all, and damage the Utility’s assets or operations or those of third parties.

The Utility also relies on complex information technology systems that allow it to create, collect, use, disclose, store and otherwise process sensitive information, including the Utility’s financial information, customer energy usage and billing information, and personal information regarding customers, employees and their dependents, contractors, and other individuals. In addition, the Utility often relies on third-party vendors to host, maintain, modify, and update its systems, and to provide other services to the Utility or the Utility’s customers. In addition, the Utility is increasingly being required to disclose large amounts of data (including customer energy usage and personal information regarding customers) to support changes to California’s electricity market related to grid modernization and customer choice. These third-party vendors could cease to exist, fail to establish adequate processes to protect the Utility’s systems and information, or experience security incidents or inadequate security measures. Any incidents or disruptions in the Utility’s information technology systems could impact the Utility’s ability to track or collect revenues and to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting.

The Utility and its third-party vendors have been subject to, and will likely continue to be subject to, breaches and attempts to gain unauthorized access to the Utility’s information technology systems or confidential data (including information about customers and employees), or to disrupt the Utility’s operations. None of these breaches or attempts has individually or in the aggregate resulted in a security incident with a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. Despite implementation of security and control measures, there can be no assurance that the Utility will be able to prevent unauthorized access to its operational networks, information technology systems or data, or the disruption of its operations. Such events could subject the Utility to significant expenses, claims by customers or third parties, government inquiries, penalties for violation of applicable privacy laws, investigations, and regulatory actions that could result in material fines and penalties, loss of customers and harm to PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reputation, any of which could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The Utility maintains cyber liability insurance that covers certain damages caused by cyber incidents. However, there is no assurance that adequate insurance will continue to be available at rates the Utility believes are reasonable or that the costs of responding to and recovering from a cyber incident will be covered by insurance or recoverable through rates.

The operation of the Utility’s nuclear generation facilities exposes it to potentially significant liabilities from environmental, health and financial risks, such as risks relating to operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear generation units as well as the storage, handling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, and the release of radioactive materials caused by a nuclear accident, seismic activity, natural disaster, or terrorist act. If the Utility incurs losses that are either not covered by insurance or exceed the amount of insurance available, such losses could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. In addition, the Utility may be required under federal law to pay up to $275 million of liabilities arising out of each nuclear incident occurring not only at the Utility’s Diablo Canyon facility but at any other nuclear power plant in the United States.

On January 11, 2018, the CPUC approved the retirement of Diablo Canyon units by 2024 and 2025. However, the Utility continues to face public concern about the safety of nuclear generation and nuclear fuel. Some of these nuclear opposition groups regularly file petitions at the NRC and in other forums challenging the actions of the NRC and urging governmental entities to adopt laws or policies in opposition to nuclear power. Although an action in opposition may ultimately fail, regulatory proceedings may take longer to conclude and be more costly to complete. It is also possible that public pressure could grow leading to adverse changes in legislation, regulations, orders, or their interpretation. As a result, operations at the Utility’s two nuclear generation units at Diablo Canyon could cease before their respective licenses expire in 2024 and 2025. In such an instance, the Utility could be required to record a charge for the remaining amount of its unrecovered investment and such charge could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

In addition, in order to retain highly skilled personnel necessary to safely operate Diablo Canyon during the remaining years of operations, the Utility will incur costs in connection with (i) an employee retention program to ensure adequate staffing levels at Diablo Canyon, and (ii) an employee retraining and development program, to facilitate redeployment of a portion of Diablo Canyon personnel to the decommissioning project and elsewhere in the Utility. There can be no assurance that the Utility will be successful in retaining highly skilled personnel under its employee programs.

The Utility has incurred, and may continue to incur, substantial costs to comply with NRC regulations and orders. See “Regulatory Environment” in Item 1. Business above. If the Utility were unable to recover these costs, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected. The Utility may determine that it cannot comply with the new regulations or orders in a feasible and economic manner and voluntarily cease operations; alternatively, the NRC may order the Utility to cease operations until the Utility can comply with new regulations, orders, or decisions. The Utility may incur a material charge if it ceases operations at Diablo Canyon’s two nuclear generation units before their respective licenses expire in 2024 and 2025. As of December 31, 2021, the Utility’s unrecovered investment in Diablo Canyon was $1.16 billion.

The Utility also has an obligation to decommission its electricity generation facilities, including its nuclear facilities, as well as gas transmission system assets, at the end of their useful lives. See “Asset Retirement Obligations” in Note 3 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statement in Item 8. The Utility’s costs to decommission its nuclear facilities through nuclear decommissioning are subject to reasonableness review by the CPUC. The Utility will be responsible for any costs that the CPUC determines were not reasonably incurred. If the Utility’s actual decommissioning costs, including the amounts held in the nuclear decommissioning trusts, exceed estimated costs, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected.

Extreme weather, drought and shifting climate patterns have intensified the challenges associated with many of the other risks facing PG&E Corporation and the Utility, particularly wildfire management in California. The Utility’s service territory encompasses some of the most densely forested areas in California and, as a consequence, is subject to higher risk from vegetation-related ignition events than other California IOUs. Further, environmental extremes, such as drought conditions and extreme heat followed by periods of wet weather, can drive additional vegetation growth (which can then fuel fires) and influence both the likelihood and severity of extraordinary wildfire events. In particular, the risk posed by wildfires, including during the 2021 wildfire season, has increased in the Utility’s service area as a result of an ongoing extended period of drought, bark beetle infestations in the California forest and wildfire fuel increases due to rising temperatures and record rainfall following the drought, and strong wind events, among other environmental factors. As of December 31, 2021, more than 86% of California is experiencing severe to extreme drought. Moderate or severe drought conditions occur and can persist in virtually all of the Utility’s service territory. More than half of the Utility’s service area is in an HFTD. Contributing factors other than environmental can include local land use policies and historical forestry management practices. The combined effects of extreme weather and climate change also impact this risk. In January 2018, the CPUC approved a statewide fire-threat map that shows that approximately half of the Utility’s service territory is facing “elevated” or “extreme” fire danger. Approximately 25,000 circuit miles of the Utility’s nearly 81,000 distribution overhead circuit miles and approximately 5,500 miles of the nearly 18,000 transmission overhead circuit miles are in such HFTDs, significantly more in total than other California IOUs.

Severe weather events and other natural disasters, including wildfires and other fires, storms, tornadoes, floods, extreme heat events (including recent extreme heat events during the 2021 wildfire season), drought, earthquakes, lightning, tsunamis, rising sea levels, pandemics, solar events, electromagnetic events, wind events or other weather-related conditions, climate change, or natural disasters, could result in severe business disruptions, prolonged power outages, property damage, injuries and loss of life, significant decreases in revenues and earnings, and significant additional costs to PG&E Corporation and the Utility. Any such event could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. Any of such events also could lead to significant claims against the Utility. Further, these events could result in regulatory penalties and disallowances, particularly if the Utility encounters difficulties in restoring power to its customers on a timely basis or if the related losses are found to be the result of the Utility’s practices or the failure of electric and other equipment of the Utility.

Further, the Utility has been studying the potential effects of climate change (increased severity and frequency of storm events, sea level rise, land subsidence, change in temperature extremes, changes in precipitation patterns and drought, and wildfire) on its assets, operations, and services, and the Utility is developing adaptation plans to set forth a strategy for those events and conditions that the Utility believes are most significant. Consequences of these climate-driven events may vary widely and could include increased stress on the energy supply network due to new patterns of demand, reduced hydroelectric output, physical damage to the Utility’s infrastructure, higher operational costs, and an increase in the number and duration of customer outages and safety consequences for both employees and customers. As a result, the Utility’s hydroelectric generation could change, and the Utility would need to consider managing or acquiring additional generation. If the Utility increases its reliance on conventional generation resources to replace hydroelectric generation and to meet increased customer demand, it may become more costly for the Utility to comply with GHG emissions limits. In addition, climate hazards such as heatwaves, windstorms, and flooding caused by rising sea levels and extreme storms could damage the Utility’s facilities, including gas, generation, and electric transmission and distribution assets. The Utility could incur substantial costs to repair or replace facilities, restore service, or compensate customers and other third parties for damages or injuries. The Utility anticipates that the increased costs would be recovered through rates, but as rate pressures increase, the likelihood of disallowance or non-recovery may increase. See “Rising rates for the Utility’s customers could result in circumstances in which the Utility is unable to fully recover costs or earn its authorized ROE” above.

Events or conditions caused by climate change could have a greater impact on the Utility’s operations than the Utility’s studies suggest and could result in lower revenues or increased expenses, or both. If the CPUC fails to adjust the Utility’s rates to reflect the impact of events or conditions caused by climate change, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected.

The Utility’s operations are subject to extensive federal, state, and local environmental laws, regulations, and orders, relating to air quality, water quality and usage, remediation of hazardous wastes, and the protection and conservation of natural resources and wildlife. The Utility incurs significant capital, operating, and other costs associated with compliance with these environmental statutes, rules, and regulations. The Utility has been in the past, and may be in the future, required to pay for environmental remediation costs at sites where it is identified as a potentially responsible party under federal and state environmental laws. Although the Utility has recorded liabilities for known environmental obligations, these costs can be difficult to estimate due to uncertainties about the extent of contamination, remediation alternatives, the applicable remediation levels, and the financial ability of other potentially responsible parties. For more information, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

Environmental remediation costs could increase in the future as a result of new legislation, the current trend toward more stringent standards, and stricter and more expansive application of existing environmental regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations, or failure to comply with the terms of licenses or permits issued by environmental or regulatory agencies, could expose the Utility to claims by third parties or the imposition of civil or criminal fines or other sanctions.

The CPUC has authorized the Utility to recover its environmental remediation costs for certain sites through various ratemaking mechanisms. One of these mechanisms allows the Utility rate recovery for 90% of its hazardous substance remediation costs for certain approved sites without a reasonableness review. The CPUC may discontinue or change these ratemaking mechanisms in the future, or the Utility may incur environmental costs that exceed amounts the CPUC has authorized the Utility to recover through rates.

Some of the Utility’s environmental costs, such as the remediation costs associated with the Hinkley natural gas compressor site, are not recoverable through rates or insurance. See “Environmental Regulation” in Item 1. and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. The Utility’s costs to remediate groundwater contamination near the Hinkley natural gas compressor site and to abate the effects of the contamination, changes in estimated costs, and the extent to which actual remediation costs differ from recorded liabilities have had, and may continue to have, a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The EOEP is a six-step process with potentially escalating CPUC oversight and enforcement measures based on specific “triggering events” identified for each of the six steps. If the Utility is placed into the EOEP, it will be subject to additional reporting requirements and additional monitoring and oversight by the CPUC. Higher steps of the process (steps 3 through 6) also contemplate additional enforcement mechanisms, including appointment of an independent third-party monitor, appointment of a chief restructuring officer, pursuit of the receivership remedy, and review of the Utility’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (i.e., its license to operate as a utility). The process contains provisions for the Utility to cure and exit the process if it can satisfy specific criteria. The EOEP states that the Utility should presumptively move through the steps of the process sequentially, but the CPUC may place the Utility into the appropriate step of the process upon occurrence of a specified triggering event.

On April 15, 2021, the CPUC placed the Utility into step 1 of the EOEP for failing to sufficiently prioritize clearing vegetation on its highest risk power lines as part of the 2020 WMP work. There can be no assurance regarding if or when the Utility will exit the EOEP, or whether the CPUC will initiate another step 1 proceeding or whether the CPUC will seek to move the Utility into a higher step of the process. See “Enforcement and Litigation Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

The Utility is subject to extensive regulations. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected if the Wildfire Fund does not effectively mitigate the financial risk of liability for damages arising from catastrophic wildfires where the Utility’s facilities are a substantial cause. See “The Wildfire Fund and other provisions of AB 1054 may not effectively mitigate the risk of liability for damages arising from catastrophic wildfires.” above.

In June 2018, the State of California enacted the CCPA, which went into effect on January 1, 2020, with a 12-month look-back period requiring compliance by January 1, 2019. The State of California announced enacted regulations in August 2020 and March 2021 which provide guidance on the requirements of the CCPA. The CCPA requires companies that process information on California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, allows consumers to opt out of certain data sharing with third parties and provides a new cause of action for data breaches. The CCPA provides for financial penalties in the event of non-compliance and statutory damages in the event of a data security breach. On November 3, 2020, Californians voted to approve Proposition 24, a ballot measure that creates the California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”), which amended and expanded the CCPA. The State of California enacted the CPRA in November 2020, with most provisions operative as of January 1, 2023 and applicable to personal information collected beginning January 1, 2022. Failure to comply with the CCPA and the CPRA could result in the imposition of material fines imposed on PG&E Corporation and the Utility.

Also, SB 100 (the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018) increased the percentage from 50% to 60% of California’s electricity portfolio that must come from renewables by 2030; and established state policy that 100% of all retail electricity sales must come from renewable portfolio standard-eligible or carbon-free resources by 2045. Failure to comply with SB 100 could result in fines imposed on PG&E Corporation and the Utility that could be material.

The Utility is subject to extensive regulations, including federal, state, and local energy, environmental and other laws and regulations, and the risk of enforcement proceedings in connection with compliance with such regulations. The Utility could incur material charges, including fines and other penalties, in connection with the Safety Culture OII (as defined in “Order Instituting an Investigation into PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Safety Culture” under “Enforcement and Litigation Matters” in Item 7. MD&A) and other matters that the CPUC’s SED may be investigating. The SED could launch investigations at any time on any issue it deems appropriate. In addition, OEIS has authority to approve and oversee compliance with the WMP.

The Utility could be subject to additional regulatory or governmental enforcement action in the future with respect to compliance with federal, state, or local laws, regulations or orders that could result in additional fines, penalties or customer refunds, including those regarding renewable energy and RA requirements; customer billing; customer service; affiliate transactions; vegetation management; design, construction, operating and maintenance practices; safety and inspection practices; compliance with CPUC GOs or other applicable CPUC decisions or regulations; whether the Utility is able to achieve the targets in its WMPs; federal electric reliability standards; and environmental compliance. CPUC staff could also impose penalties on the Utility in the future in accordance with its authority under the gas and electric safety citation programs. The amount of such fines, penalties, or customer refunds could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The Utility also is a target of a number of investigations, in addition to certain investigations in connection with the wildfires. See “Risks Related to Wildfires,” above. The Utility is unable to predict the outcome of pending investigations, including whether any charges will be brought against the Utility, or the amount of any costs and expenses associated with such investigations.

If these investigations result in enforcement action against the Utility, the Utility could incur additional fines or penalties the amount of which could be substantial and, in the event of a judgment against the Utility, suffer further ongoing negative consequences. Furthermore, a negative outcome in any of these investigations, or future enforcement actions, could negatively affect the outcome of future ratemaking and regulatory proceedings to which the Utility may be subject; for example, by enabling parties to challenge the Utility’s request to recover costs that the parties allege are somehow related to the Utility’s violations.

The Utility’s financial results depend on its ability to earn a reasonable return on capital, including long-term debt and equity, and to recover costs from its customers, through the rates it charges its customers as approved by the CPUC and the FERC. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected if the CPUC or the FERC does not authorize sufficient revenues for the Utility or if the amount of actual costs incurred differs from the forecast or authorized costs embedded in rates. The outcome of the Utility’s ratemaking proceedings can be affected by many factors, including the level of opposition by intervening parties; potential rate impacts; increasing levels of regulatory review; changes in the political, regulatory, or legislative environments; and the opinions of the Utility’s regulators, consumer and other stakeholder organizations, and customers, about the Utility’s ability to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electric and gas services. If the CPUC does not authorize sufficient funding for investments in the Utility’s infrastructure, it may negatively impact the Utility's ability to modernize the grid and make it resilient to risks related to climate change, including wildfires.

In addition to the amount of authorized revenues, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected if the Utility’s actual costs differ from authorized or forecast costs. The Utility’s ability to recover its costs and earn a reasonable rate of return can be affected by many factors, including the time delay between when costs are incurred and when those costs are recovered through rates. The CPUC or the FERC may not allow the Utility to recover costs on the basis that such costs were not reasonably or prudently incurred or for other reasons. Further, the Utility may be required to incur expenses before the relevant regulatory agency approves the recovery of such costs. For example, the Utility has incurred, and continues to incur, costs to strengthen its wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts before it is clear whether such costs will be recoverable through rates. Also, the CPUC may deny recovery of uninsured wildfire- related costs incurred by the Utility if the CPUC determines that the Utility was not prudent.

The Utility may incur additional costs or reduced revenue for many reasons including changing market circumstances, unanticipated events (such as wildfires, storms, earthquakes, accidents, or catastrophic or other events affecting the Utility’s operations), increased self-generation by customers, an increase in distributed generation, lower customer demand due to adverse economic conditions, the loss of the Utility’s customers to other retail providers like CCAs or DA providers, whether the CAISO wholesale electricity market continues to function effectively, returning customers, or compliance with new state laws or policies. See “Competition in the Electricity Industry” in Item 1.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility have a substantial amount of indebtedness, most of which is secured by liens on certain assets of PG&E Corporation and the Utility. As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation had approximately $4.71 billion of outstanding indebtedness (such indebtedness consisting of PG&E Corporation’s $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2028, $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2030, and borrowings under the $2.75 billion secured term loan agreement entered into in June 2020), and the Utility had approximately $38.3 billion of outstanding indebtedness (such indebtedness including outstanding First Mortgage Bonds, borrowings under the Utility Revolving Credit Agreement and borrowings under the Utility Term Loan Credit Agreement). In addition, PG&E Corporation had $500 million of additional borrowing capacity under the Corporation Revolving Credit Agreement, and the Utility had $1.4 billion of additional borrowing capacity under the Utility Revolving Credit Agreement. In addition, the Utility had outstanding preferred stock with an aggregate liquidation preference of $252 million.

Since PG&E Corporation and the Utility have a high level of debt, a substantial portion of cash flow from operations will be used to make payments on this debt. Furthermore, since a significant percentage of the Utility’s assets are used to secure its debt, this reduces the amount of collateral available for future secured debt or credit support and reduces its flexibility in operating these secured assets. This relatively high level of debt and related security could have other important consequences for PG&E Corporation and the Utility, including:

Under the terms of the agreements and indentures governing their respective indebtedness, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are permitted to incur additional indebtedness, some of which could be secured (subject to compliance with certain tests) and which could further accentuate these risks. As a result of the high level of indebtedness, PG&E Corporation and the Utility may be unable to generate sufficient cash through operations to service such debt, and may need to refinance such indebtedness at or prior to maturity and be unable to obtain financing on suitable terms or at all. As a capital-intensive company, the Utility relies on access to the capital markets. If the Utility were unable to access the capital markets or the cost of financing were to substantially increase, its financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected. The Utility’s ability to obtain financing, as well as its ability to refinance debt and make scheduled payments of principal and interest, are dependent on numerous factors, including the Utility’s levels of indebtedness, maintenance of acceptable credit ratings, financial performance, liquidity and cash flow, and other market conditions. The Utility’s inability to service its substantial debt or access the financial markets on reasonable terms could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s material financing agreements, including certain of their respective credit agreements and indentures, contain various covenants restricting, among other things, their ability to:

The restrictions contained in these material financing agreements could affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s ability to operate their business and may limit their ability to react to market conditions or take advantage of potential business opportunities as they arise. For example, such restrictions could adversely affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s ability to finance their operations and expenditures, make strategic acquisitions, investments or alliances, sell assets, restructure their organization or finance their capital needs. Additionally, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s ability to comply with these covenants and restrictions may be affected by events beyond their control, including prevailing regulatory, economic, financial and industry conditions.

Following entry of the Confirmation Order confirming the Plan, certain parties filed notices of appeal with respect to the Confirmation Order. While a number of such appeals have been dismissed, there can be no assurance that any of the remaining appeals will not be successful and, if successful, that any such appeal would not have a material adverse effect on PG&E Corporation and the Utility.

On the Emergence Date, PG&E Corporation issued to the Fire Victim Trust a number of shares of common stock equal to 22.19% of the outstanding common stock on such date. As further described in “Satisfaction of HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims and Subordinated Debt Claims” in Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8, PG&E Corporation may be required to issue shares of its common stock in satisfaction of allowed HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims. If such issuance is required, it may be determined that, under the Plan, the Fire Victim Trust should receive additional shares of PG&E Corporation common stock such that it would have owned 22.19% of the outstanding common stock of reorganized PG&E Corporation on the Emergence Date, assuming that such issuance of shares in satisfaction of the HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims had occurred on the Emergence Date. Any such issuances will result in dilution to anyone who holds shares of PG&E Corporation common stock prior to such issuance and may cause the trading price of PG&E Corporation shares to decline.

Additionally, PG&E Corporation may be required to pay a material amount of cash with respect to allowed Subordinated Debt Claims (as defined in “Satisfaction of HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims and Subordinated Debt Claims” in Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8). Such payment may have a material adverse impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

Certain stockholders, including the Fire Victim Trust, received a large number of shares in the Chapter 11 Cases and may continue to hold shares of PG&E Corporation. PG&E Corporation can make no prediction as to the effect, if any, that sales of shares, or the availability of shares for future sale, will have on the prevailing market price of shares of PG&E Corporation common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of shares of common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could depress prevailing market prices for such shares. Such sales may also make it more difficult for PG&E Corporation to sell equity securities or equity-linked securities in the future at a time and price which it deems appropriate.

PG&E Corporation may also sell additional shares of common stock in subsequent offerings or issue additional shares of common stock or securities convertible into shares of PG&E Corporation common stock. The issuance of any shares of PG&E Corporation common stock in future financings, acquisitions upon conversion or exercise of convertible securities, or otherwise may result in a reduction of the book value and market price of PG&E Corporation's outstanding common stock. If PG&E Corporation issues any such additional shares, the issuance will cause a reduction in the proportionate ownership and voting power of all current shareholders. PG&E Corporation cannot predict the size of future issuances of shares of PG&E Corporation common stock or securities convertible into shares of PG&E Corporation common stock or, for any issuance, the effect, if any, that such future issuances will have on the market price of PG&E Corporation's common stock.

PG&E Corporation has incurred and may also continue to incur in connection with the Plan significant net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes, the amount and availability of which are subject to certain qualifications, limitations and uncertainties. The Amended Articles (as defined below) impose certain restrictions on the transferability and ownership of PG&E Corporation common stock and preferred stock (together, the “capital stock”) and other interests designated as “stock” of PG&E Corporation by the Board of Directors as disclosed in an SEC filing (such stock and other interests, the “Equity Securities,” and such restrictions on transferability and ownership, the “Ownership Restrictions”) in order to reduce the possibility of an equity ownership shift that could result in limitations on PG&E Corporation’s ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes from prior taxable years or periods for federal income tax purposes. Any acquisition of PG&E Corporation capital stock that results in a shareholder being in violation of these restrictions may not be valid.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Ownership Restrictions restrict (i) any person or entity (including certain groups of persons) from directly or indirectly acquiring or accumulating 4.75% or more of the outstanding Equity Securities and (ii) the ability of any person or entity (including certain groups of persons) already owning, directly or indirectly, 4.75% or more of the Equity Securities to increase their proportionate interest in the Equity Securities. For more information, see “Because PG&E Corporation and the Utility have elected to treat the Fire Victim Trust as a grantor trust, the application of the Ownership Restrictions, as defined in PG&E Corporation’s Amended Articles of Incorporation, will be determined on the basis of a number of shares outstanding that could differ materially from the number of shares reported as outstanding on the cover page of its periodic reports under the Exchange Act” below. Any transferee receiving Equity Securities that would result in a violation of the Ownership Restrictions will not be recognized as a shareholder of PG&E Corporation or entitled to any rights of shareholders, including, without limitation, the right to vote and to receive dividends or distributions, whether liquidating or otherwise, in each case, with respect to the Equity Securities causing the violation.

The Ownership Restrictions remain in effect until the earliest of (i) the repeal, amendment, or modification of Section 382 (and any comparable successor provision) of the Internal Revenue Code, in a manner that renders the restrictions imposed by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code no longer applicable to PG&E Corporation, (ii) the beginning of a taxable year in which the Board of Directors of PG&E Corporation determines that no tax benefits attributable to net operating losses or other tax attributes are available, (iii) the date selected by the Board of Directors if it determines that the limitation amount imposed by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code as of such date in the event of an “ownership change” of PG&E Corporation (as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1502-91 et seq.) would not be materially less than the net operating loss carryforwards or “net unrealized built-in loss” (within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1502-91 et seq.) of PG&E Corporation, and (iv) the date selected by the Board of Directors if it determines that it is in the best interests of PG&E Corporation’s shareholders for the Ownership Restrictions to be removed or released. The Ownership Restrictions may also be waived by the Board of Directors on a case by case basis.

The Plan contemplated that the Fire Victim Trust would be treated as a “qualified settlement fund” for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes, subject to PG&E Corporation’s ability to elect to treat the Fire Victim Trust as a grantor trust for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes instead. On July 8, 2021, PG&E Corporation, the Utility, ShareCo, and the Fire Victim Trust entered into the Share Exchange and Tax Matters Agreement, pursuant to which PG&E Corporation and the Utility made a grantor trust election for the Fire Victim Trust effective retroactively to the inception of the Fire Victim Trust.

As a result of the grantor trust election, shares of PG&E Corporation common stock owned by the Fire Victim Trust are treated as held by the Utility and, in turn attributed to PG&E Corporation for income tax purposes. Consequently, any shares owned by the Fire Victim Trust are effectively excluded from the total number of outstanding equity securities when calculating a person’s Percentage Stock Ownership (as defined in the Amended Articles) for purposes of the Ownership Restrictions. See “Tax Matters” in Item 7. MD&A for an example of these calculations. PG&E Corporation does not control the number of shares held by the Fire Victim Trust and is not able to determine in advance the number of shares the Fire Victim Trust will hold. PG&E Corporation intends to periodically make available to investors information about the number of shares of common stock held by the Fire Victim Trust, the Utility, and ShareCo as of a specified date for purposes of the Ownership Restrictions, including in its Quarterly Reports and Annual Reports filed with the SEC.

PG&E Corporation intends to enforce the Ownership Restrictions as described in the foregoing paragraph (calculated as excluding any shares owned by the Fire Victim Trust, the Utility, and ShareCo from the number of outstanding equity securities). All current and prospective shareholders are advised to consider the foregoing in determining their ownership and acquisition of PG&E Corporation common stock.

As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation had net operating loss carryforwards for PG&E Corporation’s consolidated group for U.S. federal and California income tax purposes of approximately $21.1 billion and $18.9 billion, respectively, and PG&E Corporation incurred and may also continue to incur in connection with the Plan significant net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes. The ability of PG&E Corporation to use some or all of these net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be subject to certain limitations. Under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (which also applies for California state income tax purposes), if a corporation (or a consolidated group) undergoes an “ownership change,” such net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes may be subject to certain limitations. In general, an ownership change occurs if the aggregate stock ownership of certain shareholders (generally five percent shareholders, applying certain look-through and aggregation rules) increases by more than 50% over such shareholders’ lowest percentage ownership during the testing period (generally three years).

As of the date of this report, it is more likely than not that PG&E Corporation has not undergone an ownership change and its net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes are not limited by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. However, whether PG&E Corporation underwent or will undergo an ownership change as a result of the transactions in PG&E Corporation’s equity that occurred pursuant to the Plan depends on several factors outside PG&E Corporation’s control and the application of certain laws that are uncertain in several respects. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS would not successfully assert that PG&E Corporation has undergone or will undergo an ownership change pursuant to the Plan. In addition, even if these transactions did not cause an ownership change, they may increase the likelihood that PG&E Corporation may undergo an ownership change in the future. If the IRS successfully asserts that PG&E Corporation did undergo, or PG&E Corporation otherwise does undergo, an ownership change, the limitation on its net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code could be material to PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

In particular, limitations imposed on PG&E Corporation’s ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards or other tax attributes could cause U.S. federal and California income taxes to be paid earlier than would be paid if such limitations were not in effect and could cause such net operating loss carryforwards or other tax attributes to expire unused, in each case reducing or eliminating the benefit of such net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes. In addition, PG&E Corporation’s ability to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards is critical to a successful rate-neutral securitization transaction and to PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s commitment to make certain operating and capital expenditures. Failure to consummate a securitization transaction or obtain alternative sources of capital could have a material adverse effect on PG&E Corporation and the Utility and the value of PG&E Corporation common stock.

Pursuant to the Confirmation Order, PG&E Corporation may not pay dividends on shares of its common stock until it recognizes $6.2 billion in Non-GAAP Core Earnings following the Emergence Date. “Non-GAAP Core Earnings” means GAAP earnings adjusted for certain non-core items.

Subject to the foregoing restrictions, any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on, among other things, PG&E Corporation’s results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, contractual restrictions, and other factors that the Board of Directors may deem relevant.

PG&E Corporation conducts its operations primarily through its subsidiary, the Utility, and substantially all of PG&E Corporation’s consolidated assets are held by the Utility. Accordingly, PG&E Corporation’s cash flow and its ability to meet its debt service obligations under its existing and future indebtedness are largely dependent upon the earnings and cash flows of the Utility and the distribution or other payment of these earnings and cash flows to PG&E Corporation in the form of dividends or loans or advances and repayment of loans and advances from the Utility. The ability of the Utility to pay dividends or make other advances, distributions, and transfers of funds will depend on its results of operations and may be restricted by, among other things, applicable laws limiting the amount of funds available for payment of dividends and certain restrictive covenants contained in the agreements of those subsidiaries. Additionally, the Utility must use its resources to satisfy its own obligations, including its obligation to serve customers, to pay principal and interest on outstanding debt, to pay preferred stock dividends, and to meet its obligations to employees and creditors, before it can distribute cash to PG&E Corporation. Under the Utility’s Articles of Incorporation, the Utility cannot pay common stock dividends unless all cumulative preferred dividends on the Utility’s preferred stock have been paid. As of January 31, 2022, there were $59.1 million of such cumulative and unpaid dividends on the Utility’s preferred stock. In addition, the CPUC has imposed various conditions that govern the relationship between PG&E Corporation and the Utility, including financial conditions that require the Board of Directors to give first priority to the capital requirements of the Utility, as determined to be necessary and prudent to meet the Utility’s obligation to serve or to operate the Utility in a prudent and efficient manner. On February 8, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Utility authorized the payment of all cumulative and unpaid dividends on the Utility’s preferred stock as of January 31, 2022 totaling $59.1 million, payable on May 13, 2022, to holders of record on April 29, 2022 and declared a dividend on the Utility’s preferred stock totaling $3.5 million that will be accrued during the three-month period ending April 30, 2022, payable on May 15, 2022, to holders of record on April 29, 2022. It is uncertain when PG&E Corporation and the Utility will commence the payment of dividends on their common stock. The deterioration of income from, or other available assets of, the Utility for any reason could limit or impair the Utility’s ability to pay dividends or other distributions to PG&E Corporation, which could, in turn, materially and adversely affect PG&E Corporation’s ability to meet its obligations.

The Amended Articles and the Amended Bylaws contain provisions that may make the acquisition of PG&E Corporation more difficult without the approval of the Board of Directors, including the following:

These and other provisions in the Amended Articles, the Amended Bylaws, and California law could make it more difficult for shareholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of the Board of Directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the then-current Board of Directors, including delaying or impeding merger, tender offer, or proxy contest involving PG&E Corporation. The existence of these provisions could negatively affect the price of PG&E Corporation common stock and limit opportunities for shareholders to realize value in a corporate transaction.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows have been (beginning in March 2020) and could continue to be significantly affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (and its variants), but the extent of such impact is uncertain.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility continue to evaluate the impact of the current COVID-19 outbreak on their business and financial results. The consequences of a continued and prolonged outbreak and resulting governmental and regulatory orders have had and could continue to have a negative impact on the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic conditions, and resulting decrease in economic and industrial activity in the Utility’s service territory, have and will continue to have a significant adverse impact on the Utility’s customers. These circumstances have impacted and will continue to impact the Utility for a period of time that PG&E Corporation and the Utility are unable to predict. For example, the economic downturn has resulted in a reduction in customer receipts and collection delays throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Utility’s accounts receivable balances over 30 days outstanding as of December 31, 2021 were approximately $1.1 billion, or $832 million higher as compared to the balances as of December 31, 2019. The Utility is unable to estimate the portion of the increase directly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Utility expects to continue experiencing an impact on monthly cash collections for as long as current COVID-19 circumstances persist.

On January 1, 2021, electric rates were reset using sales that were adjusted for the COVID-19 pandemic impacts and significant ongoing shortfalls are not currently expected in 2021. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are currently unable to quantify the long-term potential impact of the changes in customer collections or changes in energy demand on earnings and cash flows due, in part, to uncertainties regarding the timing, duration and intensity of the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting economic downturn. Although the CPUC authorized the establishment of memorandum and balancing accounts to track costs associated with customer protection measures, the timing of regulatory relief, if any, and ultimate cost recovery from such accounts or otherwise, are uncertain.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn have resulted and will continue to result in workforce disruptions, both in personnel availability (including a reduction in contract labor resources) and deployment. Increased governmental regulation of the COVID-19 pandemic protections, including vaccination mandates or testing requirement for workers, could result in employee attrition, workforce disruptions and increased supplier and contractor costs.

Although the Utility continues to prioritize customer and community safety, these disruptions necessitate changes to the Utility’s operating and capital expenditure plans, which could lead to project delays or service disruptions in certain programs. Delays in production and shipping of materials used in the Utility’s operations may also impact operations.

The Utility has experienced shortages in certain materials, longer lead times and delivery delays as a result of domestic and international raw material and labor shortages. If these disruptions to the supply chain persist or worsen, the Utility may be delayed or prevented from completing planned maintenance and capital projects work.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility expect additional financial impacts in the future as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Potential longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on PG&E Corporation or the Utility include the potential for higher credit spreads, borrowing costs and incremental financing needs. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s analysis of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and subject to change. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are unable to predict the timing, duration or intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and any resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and any variant strains of the COVID-19 virus, the effectiveness and intensity of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic (including availability and effectiveness of vaccines), and the effects of the COVID-19 situation on the business, financial condition and results of operations of PG&E Corporation and the Utility and on the business and general economic conditions in the State of California and the United States of America.

The rates paid by the Utility’s customers are impacted by the Utility’s costs, commodity prices, and broader energy trends. The Utility’s capital investment plan, increasing procurement of renewable power and energy storage, increasing environmental regulations, leveling demand, and the cumulative impact of other public policy requirements, collectively place continuing upward pressure on customer rates. In particular, the Utility will need to make substantial, sustained investments to its infrastructure to adapt to climate change. For more information on factors that could cause the Utility’s costs to increase, see “The Utility’s ratemaking and cost recovery proceedings may not authorize sufficient revenues, or the Utility’s actual costs could exceed its authorized or forecasted costs due to various factors, including if the Utility is not able to manage its costs effectively” above. If customer rates increase, the CPUC may face greater pressure to approve lesser amounts in the Utility’s ratemaking or cost recovery proceedings.

The Utility generally recovers its electricity and natural gas procurement costs through rates as “pass-through” costs. Increases in the Utility’s commodity costs directly impact customer bills.

Increasing levels of self-generation of electricity by customers (primarily solar installations) and customer enrollment in NEM, which allows self-generating customers to receive bill credits for surplus power at the full retail rate, shifts costs to other customers. Under this structure, NEM customers do not pay their proportionate share of the cost of maintaining and operating the electric transmission and distribution system, subject to certain exceptions, while still receiving electricity from the system when their self-generation is inadequate to meet their electricity needs. These unpaid costs are subsidized by customers not participating in NEM. Accordingly, as more electric customers switch to NEM and self-generate energy, the burden on the remaining customers increases, which in turn encourages more self-generation, further increasing rate pressure on existing non-NEM customers.

Other long-term trends could also increase costs for gas customers. Natural gas providers are subject to compliance with CARB’s cap-and-trade program, and natural gas end-use customers have an increasing exposure to carbon costs under the program through 2030 (when the full cost will be reflected in customer bills). CARB may also require aggressive energy efficiency programs to reduce natural gas end use. Increased renewable portfolio standards generation in the electric sector could reduce electric generation gas load. Additionally, customers replacing natural gas appliances with electric appliances will lead to further reduced gas demand. The combination of reduced load and increased costs to maintain the gas system could result in higher natural gas customer bills. In addition, some local city governments have passed ordinances restricting use of natural gas in new construction and, if other jurisdictions follow suit, this could affect future demand for the provision of natural gas. If fewer customers receive gas from the Utility, the Utility’s gas system maintenance costs, many of which cannot be reduced in the short term even if gas quantities decrease, would be borne by fewer customers. Finally, a potential mandate to purchase renewable natural gas for core customers could lead to cost recovery risk if utilities are competing with the transportation sector without receiving the same incentives.

A confluence of technology-related cost declines and sustained federal or state subsidies could make a combination of distributed generation and energy storage a viable, cost-effective alternative to the Utility’s bundled electric service which could further reduce energy demand. Reduced energy demand or significantly slowed growth in demand due to customer migration to other energy providers, adoption of energy efficient technology, conservation, increasing levels of distributed generation and self-generation, unless substantially offset through regulatory cost allocations, could increase the energy rates for other customers.

If rates were to rise too rapidly, customer usage could decline. This decline would decrease the volume of sales, among which the Utility’s fixed costs are allocated, and increase rates.

To relieve some of this upward rate pressure, the CPUC may authorize lower revenues than the Utility requested or increase the period over which the Utility is allowed to recover amounts, which could impact the Utility’s ability to timely recover its operating costs. The Utility’s level of authorized capital investment could decline as well, leading to a slower growth in rate base and earnings. As a result, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected.

The Utility’s workforce is aging, and many employees are or will become eligible to retire within the next few years. Although the Utility has undertaken efforts to recruit and train new field service personnel, the Utility may be faced with a shortage of experienced and qualified personnel. The majority of the Utility’s employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with three unions. Labor disruptions could occur depending on the outcome of negotiations to renew the terms of these agreements with the unions or if tentative new agreements are not ratified by their members. In addition, some of the remaining non-represented Utility employees could join one of these unions in the future.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility also may face challenges in attracting and retaining senior management talent especially if they are unable to restore the reputational harm generated by the negative publicity stemming from the ongoing enforcement proceedings and the Chapter 11 Cases. Any such occurrences could materially affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. For more information about labor disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, see “PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows have been and could continue to be significantly affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic” above.

None.

The Utility owns or has obtained the right to occupy or use real property comprising the Utility’s electricity and natural gas distribution facilities, electric generation facilities, natural gas gathering facilities and generation facilities, and natural gas and electricity transmission facilities, which are described in Item 1. Business, under “Electric Utility Operations” and “Natural Gas Utility Operations.” The Utility occupies or uses real property primarily through various leases, easements, rights-of-way, permits, or licenses from private landowners or governmental authorities. In total, the Utility occupies 9 million square feet of real property, including 7 million square feet owned by the Utility. On September 17, 2021, the sale of the SFGO closed and the Utility entered into a leaseback agreement with the new SFGO owner (the “Leaseback Agreement”) to lease back certain space within the SFGO to allow for additional time to relocate critical facilities to other Utility sites. The Leaseback Agreement commenced on September 17, 2021 and continues through various dates for the various leased spaces, with December 31, 2023 being the latest lease expiration date. On October 23, 2020, the Utility entered into an office lease agreement with BA2 300 Lakeside LLC for approximately 910,000 rentable square feet of space within the Lakeside Building to serve as the Utility’s principal administrative headquarters. The term of the lease will begin on or about April 8, 2022 and the lease grants the Utility an option to purchase the legal parcel that contains the Lakeside Building. For more information, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

PG&E Corporation also leases approximately 42,000 square feet of office space from a third party in San Francisco, California. This lease will expire and be surrendered at the end of February 2022.

The Utility currently owns approximately 148,000 acres of land, including approximately 121,000 acres of watershed lands. In 2002, the Utility agreed to implement its Land Conservation Commitment (“LCC”) to permanently preserve the six “beneficial public values” on all the watershed lands through conservation easements or equivalent protections, as well as to make approximately 40,000 acres of the watershed lands available for donation to qualified organizations. The six “beneficial public values” being preserved by the LCC include: natural habitat of fish, wildlife, and plants; open space; outdoor recreation by the general public; sustainable forestry; agricultural uses; and historic values. The Utility’s goal is to implement all the LCC transactions by the end of 2023, subject to securing all required regulatory approvals.

Not applicable. 

The following individuals serve as executive officers of the Utility as of February 10, 2022. Except as otherwise noted, all positions have been held at the Utility.