PG&E reports a marginal increase in its data center pipeline, with 240MW of it in the construction phase.

California's primary electric utility, PG&E, has reported a marginal increase in its data center pipeline, with 12.87GW of requests, up from the 12.71GW it reported in July this year.

The utility shared the figures during its Q3 earnings call. CEO Patricia Poppe said the utility is focused on grid modernization to support 1.8GW of potential data center demand through 2030.

Of the 12.87GW, 8.35GW is in the application and preliminary engineering phase, 3.88GW is in the final engineering phase, 400MW is in the interconnection construction agreement phase, and 240MW is in the construction phase. This compares with 140MW reported in June. The utility's previous results had shown its data center pipeline more than doubling, and Poppe acknowledged at the time that not all of the projects are likely to materialize.

"We are continuing to build a high-quality data center pipeline and providing visibility into how projects advance from application to energization," said Poppe.

"Since 2024, we have brought 174MW of data center projects online. As we look to bring more of our pipeline into service, our focus will continue to be on doing so in a way that will improve affordability for existing customers."

The utility is awaiting a decision from the California Public Utilities Commission on an agreement with Google to construct a 250MW data center in San Jose. The project, which requires a 230kV switching station, underground lines, and a connection to a high-voltage line, has faced delays and opposition.

PG&E also said it has reduced its capital plan by $2 billion in response to sub-investment-grade borrowing costs, but it continues to pursue a ten-year, 5,000-mile (8,046km) undergrounding initiative to enhance system safety. Despite the reduction, the company reported third-quarter earnings of $2.285bn, up $2.281bn from the same period a year earlier.

The utility made several notable data center announcements in 2025. Early in the year, it signed a first-of-its-kind Implementation Agreement with the City of San Jose to streamline and guarantee power delivery for data centers and other large load customers.

More recently, the utility partnered with smart transmission firm Smart Wires on a new project aimed at enhancing grid reliability and supporting the growth of data center energy consumption in San Jose.