PG&E's data center pipeline reached 12,870 MW in September, up from 12,710 MW at the end of June. The utility furnished the figures with its third-quarter 2026 earnings materials on Octobe
Featured: High-voltage transmission lines and electrical grid infrastructure in PG&E's Northern California service territory.r 22. Large load beyond an initial 1.8 GW sits on a list of work that will be delayed or deferred.
The pipeline counts applications to serve new data center load of 20 MW or more, according to Colocation Scout's review of the earnings presentation. Of the September total, 8,350 MW across 27 projects sit in application and preliminary engineering. A further 3,880 MW across 18 projects are in final engineering. Another 400 MW across three projects have an executed interconnection construction agreement, and 240 MW are under construction, up from 140 MW in June. PG&E has energized 174 MW of new data center projects since 2024.
"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," said Patti Poppe, chief executive of PG&E Corporation, on the earnings call. Poppe said the pipeline spans multiple years and that the capital reduction applies to 2027.
The deferral line appears on a capital plan slide covering 2026 and 2027, with 2028 through 2030 marked as pending the outcome of a strategic review. Delayed or deferred work also includes connecting new housing projects, interconnecting new renewable generation projects, and technology upgrades. PG&E cut $2 billion from its 2027 capital plan, to $11.4 billion. Poppe said the 1.8 GW of projects previously signaled to be online by 2030 remain in the plan.
Baxtel reported PG&E's pipeline at 10 GW in August 2025 and 9.6 GW that October. The utility then reported 12,710 MW in June, measured as of the end of that month. California holds 309 data center facilities totaling 1,532 MW, led by Digital Realty Trust with 21 sites and Vantage Data Centers with 10. The largest is Vantage's Santa Clara CA3 at 32 MW.
PG&E says that with appropriate pricing, every 1 GW of new data center load could help customers save 1% or more on monthly electric bills. The utility is awaiting a California Public Utilities Commission decision on an agreement with Google to construct a 250 MW data center in San Jose, a project that has faced delays and opposition.
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