Pacific Gas and Electric Company Pacific Gas and Electric Company

pacific gas , electric company plant in sacramento, 1912

according pg&e s 2012 history timeline on webpage, san francisco gas , electric company , california gas , electric corporation merged form pacific gas , electric company (pg&e) on october 10, 1905. consolidation provided california gas , electric corporation access large san francisco market , base further financing. san francisco gas , electric company, in turn, able reinforce electric system, until had been powered entirely steam-operated generating plants, , not compete lower cost hydroelectric power. after merger formally completed, engineers , management both organizations formulated plans coordinating , unifying 2 gas , electric systems. however, 2 firms maintained separate corporate identities until 1911.

pg&e s natural gas transmission system serving millions of california homes

pg&e began delivering natural gas san francisco , northern california in 1930 through longest pipeline in world, connecting texas gas fields northern california compressor stations included cooling towers every 300 miles (480 km), @ topock, arizona, on state line, , near town of hinkley, california. introduction of natural gas, company began retiring polluting gas manufacturing facilities, though kept plants on standby. today there network of 8 compressor stations linked 40,000 miles of distribution pipelines , on 6,000 miles of transportation pipelines serving 4.2 million customers bakersfield oregon border.

in 1950s , 1960s, @ both topock , hinkley compressor stations, hexavalent chromium in form of additive used in rust-prevention in cooling towers prepared gas transportation through pg&e’s pipeline northern , central california. these cooling waters disposed of adjacent compressor stations.

in 1952 charles m. coleman—who worked pg&e s publicity department—completed book entitled p. g. , e. of california: centennial story of pacific gas , electric company, 1852–1952.

the 1906 san francisco earthquake

pg&e affected 1906 san francisco earthquake. company s assorted central offices damaged quake , destroyed subsequent fire. san francisco gas , electric company subsidiary in particular suffered significant infrastructure loss, distribution systems—miles of gas mains , electric wires—were dissevered. 2 gas , 2 electric plants, located far city, survived destruction. these functioning facilities—including new 4,000,000-foot crude oil gas works @ potrero point—played critical roles in san francisco s rebuilding efforts. many of pg&e s utility competitors ceased operation following great earthquake. however, company s substantial capital allowed survive, rebuild, , expand.