Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced a five-year, $73 billion infrastructure investment plan aimed at grid modernization, wildfire mitigation, and preparing for increasing electricity demand--particularly from data centers and electrification across California.

The strategy was outlined by Patricia Poppe, PG&E's CEO, during a September 29 investor call. The utility, which serves over 5 million electric and 4.6 million gas customers across 47 California counties, will focus on safety, reliability, and enabling growth in high-demand sectors like AI-driven computing and electric vehicles.

PG&E's plan includes 700 miles of new underground lines, 500 miles of wildfire safety upgrades, and enhanced transmission and substation investments. The company also continues to expand clean energy initiatives, including microgrids like the Calistoga Resiliency Center in partnership with Energy Vault.

Poppe highlighted PG&E's support for California's Senate Bill 254, which reforms the wildfire fund and reduces PG&E's annual contribution from $193 million to $144 million starting in 2029. The bill aims to protect utility customers and ensure financial stability for investor-owned utilities after severe wildfires in recent years.

The utility's forecast includes 1% to 3% load growth, driven by a growing pipeline of data center projects, totaling 10 GW across more than 50 projects.

"California is leading the way in electrification, AI, and clean energy," said Poppe. "PG&E is positioned to help enable that future safely and affordably."