PG&E Corp

PG&E Corporation and the Utility could incur significant costs to comply with laws and regulations and be adversely affected by legislative and regulatory developments.

The Utility and its operations are subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and orders. The Utility incurs significant capital, operating, and other costs associated with compliance with these rules. These rules could change, which could change the Utility’s compliance obligations and the costs to comply with these rules. Non-compliance with these rules could result in the imposition of material fines on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, other regulatory exposure, significant litigation, and reputational harm, which could materially affect PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

Wildfire

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected if the Wildfire Fund does not effectively mitigate the financial risk of liability for damages arising from catastrophic wildfires where the Utility’s facilities are a substantial cause. See “The Wildfire Fund and other provisions of AB 1054 may not effectively mitigate the risk of liability for damages arising from catastrophic wildfires.” above.

Privacy

In June 2018, the State of California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the “CCPA”), which went into effect on January 1, 2020, with a 12-month look-back period requiring compliance by January 1, 2019. The CCPA requires companies that process information on California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, allows consumers to opt out of certain data sharing with third parties and provides a new cause of action for data breaches. The CCPA provides for financial penalties in the event of non-compliance and statutory damages in the event of a data security breach. On November 3, 2020, Californians voted to approve Proposition 24, a ballot measure that created the California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”), which amended and expanded the CCPA. The State of California enacted the CPRA in November 2020, with most provisions operative as of January 1, 2023 and applicable to personal information collected beginning January 1, 2022. Final CPRA regulations are in development. Failure to comply with the CCPA and the CPRA could result in litigation, audits, and the imposition of material fines on PG&E Corporation and the Utility.

Additionally, PG&E Corporation and the Utility collect and retain certain personal information of their customers, shareholders, and employees in connection with their business. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s risk management and information security measures may be ineffective, and the personal information that they collect, as well as other commercially-sensitive data that they possess, could become compromised because of certain events, including a cyber incident, the insufficiency or failure of such measures, human error, the misappropriation of data, or the occurrence of any of the foregoing at any third party with which PG&E Corporation or the Utility has shared information. If any of these events were to transpire, it could subject PG&E Corporation and the Utility to financial liability.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility are subject to federal and state privacy laws, which grant consumers rights and protections, including, among other things, the ability to opt out of receiving certain communications and certain data sharing with third parties.

Environmental

The environmental rules to which the Utility’s operations are subject relate to air quality, water quality and usage, remediation of hazardous substances, and the protection and conservation of natural resources and wildlife.

Also, SB 100 (the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018) increased the percentage from 50% to 60% of California’s electricity portfolio that must come from renewables by 2030; and established state policy that 100% of all retail electricity sales must come from renewable portfolio standard-eligible or carbon-free resources by 2045. Failure to comply with SB 100 could result in fines imposed on PG&E Corporation and the Utility that could be material.

The Utility develops its capital plans based on forecasts, including those around load growth, gas system planning, and transportation electrification, which assume that California continues to pursue consistent environmental policies. If the federal government withdraws its support for grid modernization or prohibits California from pursuing its environmental policies, or if California changes its policies, PG&E Corporation and the Utility may be unable to meet their environmental and financial goals.