PG&E 2015 Annual Report Download - page 23

15
PART I
ITEM1.BUSINESS
Owned Generation Facilities
At December 31, 2015, the Utility owned the following generation facilities, all located in California, listed by energy
source and further described below:
GenerationType CountyLocation NumberofUnits NetOperatingCapacity(MW)
Nuclear()
Diablo Canyon SanLuisObispo  
Hydroelectric()   
Conventional countiesinnorthernand
centralCalifornia
 
Helms pumped storage Fresno  
Fossilfuel-fired  
Colusa Generating Station Colusa  
Gateway Generating
Station
ContraCosta  
Humboldt Bay Generating
Station
Humboldt  
FuelCell   
CSU East Bay Fuel Cell Alameda  
SF State Fuel Cell SanFrancisco  
Photovoltaic() Various  
TOTAL   
() TheUtility’sDiabloCanyonpowerplantconsistsoftwonuclearpowerreactorunitsUnitsandTheNRCoperatinglicenses
expireinandrespectively(See“DiabloCanyonNuclearPowerPlant”inMD&AandItemARiskFactors)
() TheUtility’shydroelectricsystemconsistsof generatingunitsat  powerhousesAll oftheUtility’spowerhousesare
licensedbytheFERC(exceptfortwosmall powerhousesnotsubject toFERClicensingrequirements)withlicenseterms
betweenandyears
() TheUtility’slargeroperationalphotovoltaicfacilitiesincludetheFivePointssolarstation(MW)theWestsidesolarstation
(MW)theStroudsolarstation(MW)theHuronsolarstation(MW)theCantuasolarstation(MW)theGiffensolar
station(MW)theGatessolarstation(MW)theWestGatessolarstation(MW)andtheGuernseysolarstation(MW)
AllofthesefacilitiesarelocatedinFresnoCountyexceptfortheGuernseysolarstationwhichislocatedinKingsCounty
Generation Resources from Third Parties
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 13 of the Notes to the
Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.
Electricity Transmission
At December 31, 2015, the Utility owned approximately
18,400 circuit miles of interconnected transmission lines
operating at voltages ranging from 60 kV to 500 kV. The
Utility also operated 91 electric transmission substations
with a capacity of approximately 63,400 MVA. The Utility’s
electric transmission system is interconnected with electric
power systems in the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council, which includes many western states, Alberta and
British Columbia, and parts of Mexico.
In 2013, the Utility, MidAmerican Transmission, LLC, and
Citizens Energy Corporation were selected by the CAISO to
jointly develop a new 230-kV transmission line to address
the growing power demand in Fresno, Madera and Kings
counties area. The 70-mile line will connect the Utility-
owned and -operated Gates and Gregg substations. The
new line will help reduce the number and duration of
power outages, improve voltage in the area, support
economic development, and bolster eorts to integrate
clean, renewable energy onto the grid. The transmission
line is expected to commence operations by 2022, and
could come online earlier.
Throughout 2015, the Utility upgraded several critical
substations and re-conductored a number of transmission
lines to improve maintenance and system flexibility,
reliability and safety. The Utility expects to undertake
various additional transmission projects over the next
several years to upgrade and expand the capacity of
its transmission system to accommodate system load
growth, secure access to renewable generation resources,
replace aging or obsolete equipment and improve system
reliability. The Utility also has taken steps to improve
the physical security of its transmission substations
and equipment.