PG&E Mobilizes for Potent Holiday Week Storm System
Rhea-AI Summary
Pacific Gas and Electric (NYSE:PCG) activated its Emergency Operations Center and pre‑positioned crews ahead of two strong winter storms expected in Northern and Central California during the holiday week (first system Tuesday, second Wednesday).
More than 5,500 front‑line coworkers and contractors will be on storm duty, including >1,500 gas and electric crew personnel and nearly 3,000 tree workers. Rain of 4–10 inches is possible on parts of the North Coast and snow levels are expected above 6,000 feet. Customers are urged to follow safety guidance and use the improved online outage center for faster updates.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
PCG was down 0.57% with elevated volume, while key regulated electric peers like ED, WEC, DTE, ETR, and PEG also traded lower between -0.66% and -2.00%. No peers appeared in the momentum scanner, suggesting broad utility softness rather than a sharp, stock-specific move tied to this storm-preparedness update.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18 | Customer relief program | Positive | +0.9% | Extended bill-pay relief program with significant funding for past-due bills. |
| Dec 17 | Leadership, strategy shift | Positive | +2.7% | Announced new leadership structure to better align with customer needs. |
| Dec 12 | Dividend declaration | Positive | +2.2% | Declared Q4 2025 common and preferred stock cash dividends. |
| Dec 11 | Grid innovation demo | Positive | -1.7% | Launched Dynamic Line Rating and Asset Health Monitoring demonstration. |
| Nov 19 | Undergrounding, wildfire risk | Positive | -2.7% | Reported 1,000 miles undergrounded and strong public support, but cited CPUC risks. |
Recent company updates, especially customer support, leadership changes, and dividends, often coincided with modest positive price moves, while grid innovation and regulatory/wildfire-risk messaging saw negative or mixed reactions.
Over the past months, PCG highlighted several customer- and reliability-focused initiatives. On Dec 18, it extended the Match My Payment program with a $50 million commitment, aiding over 60,000 customers and seeing a 0.89% gain. Leadership restructuring effective Jan 1, 2026 and a new dividend announcement in mid-December each coincided with 2%+ moves higher. In contrast, a grid innovation demonstration and undergrounding/wildfire-risk communication in November saw price declines, indicating markets did not always reward long-term infrastructure narratives immediately.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement details PG&E’s mobilization for powerful winter storms, with more than 5,500 workers pre-positioned and enhanced outage information tools for customers. In context of recent leadership changes, customer relief programs, and grid innovation efforts, it underscores an ongoing focus on reliability and safety. Investors may watch how actual outage performance, regulatory responses, and future operational updates compare with these preparedness plans.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
As PG&E pre-positions crews and other resources, the company reminds its customers to stay safe and be prepared for possible outages.
The storms are forecast to move through the PG&E's service area with the first system arriving on Tuesday followed by the second system later in the day on Wednesday. They could result in widespread outage activity. PG&E's in-house meteorologist says parts of the North Coast could see from four to 10 inches of rain. Snow levels are expected to be above 6,000 feet.
PG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center as well as regional and local storm rooms. Although impacts are anticipated system-wide, PG&E is pre-positioning additional crews where storm impact is expected to be most severe. More than 5,500 PG&E front-line coworkers and contractors will be on storm duty, including more than 1,500 gas and electric crew personnel and nearly 3,000 available tree workers.
"Just as PG&E prepares for natural disasters and emergencies, we encourage our customers to prepare as well," said Peter Kenny, PG&E's Senior Vice President of Electric Operations. "These storms have the potential to disrupt holiday plans; therefore, we have prepositioned resources and will be an all-hands-on-deck response from PG&E to safely restore power as quickly as possible."
The utility also has been communicating with cities and counties to share preparation and plans.
Storm Safety Tips
Just as PG&E follows its plan to prepare for and respond to a storm, customers are urged to prepare their families and neighbors as well. Here are some storm safety tips:
- Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
- Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on powerlines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
- Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights and not candles, due to the risk of fire. And keep extra batteries on hand. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
- Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running.
- Have fresh drinking water and ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer to prevent food spoilage.
- Secure your outside furniture: Strong winds can blow lawn chairs and other outdoor items into powerlines.
- Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns.
- Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 8-1-1 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.
Faster Online Outage Info
If an outage does occur, PG&E's online outage center has been updated and improved based on customer feedback. Significant changes include:
- Faster loading times to find important outage information.
- An Outage Status Tracker so customers can get status updates on the assessment and repair of their outage.
- More local information on the extent of outages around a customer's home and business
- More information on how to prepare ahead of outages, what causes outages and how PG&E prioritizes restoration work.
PG&E will let customers know the cause of an outage, when crews are on their way, the estimated restoration time and when power has been restored.
If receiving an outage text, customers can reply "status" to learn the latest information on the outage without visiting the outage page.
Other tips can be found at: Safety and Preparedness, Storm Safety, and Safety Action Center.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company
FAQ
When will PG&E (PCG) crews respond to the December 2025 holiday week storms?
How many PG&E (PCG) workers are on duty for the holiday storms?
What rainfall and snow levels did PG&E (PCG) forecast for the storms on Dec 22, 2025?
What safety steps does PG&E (PCG) recommend during power outages from the storms?
How can PG&E (PCG) customers get faster outage information during the storms?
