PG&E Corp

The Utility’s business is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of various agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. At the state level, the Utility is regulated primarily by the CPUC. At the federal level, the Utility is regulated primarily by the FERC and the NRC. The Utility is also subject to the requirements of other federal, state and local regulatory agencies, including with respect to safety, the environment, and health, such as the NTSB and the OEIS.

This section and the “Environmental Regulation” and the “Ratemaking Mechanisms” sections below summarize some of the more significant laws, regulations, and regulatory proceedings affecting the Utility. For more information, see Item 1A. Risk Factors and “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A.

PG&E Corporation is subject to the Public Utility Holding Company Act as a public utility holding company. The Public Utility Holding Company Act primarily obligates PG&E Corporation and its utility subsidiaries to provide access to their books and records to the FERC and the CPUC for ratemaking purposes.

California Public Utilities Commission

The CPUC is a regulatory agency that regulates privately owned public utilities in California. The CPUC has jurisdiction over the rates and terms and conditions of service for the Utility’s electric and natural gas distribution operations, electric generation, and natural gas transmission and storage services. The CPUC has also exercised jurisdiction over the Utility’s issuances of securities, dispositions of utility assets and facilities, energy purchases on behalf of the Utility’s electric and natural gas retail customers, rates of return, rates of depreciation, oversight of nuclear decommissioning, and aspects of the siting of facilities used in providing electric and natural gas utility service.

The CPUC enforces state and federal laws and regulations that set forth safety requirements pertaining to the design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance of utility gas and electric facilities. The CPUC can impose penalties of up to $100,000 per day, per violation. The CPUC has broad discretion to determine the amount of penalties based on the totality of the circumstances, including such factors as the gravity of the violations, the type of harm caused by the violations and the number of persons affected, and the good faith of the entity charged in attempting to achieve compliance, after notification of a violation. The CPUC also is required to consider the appropriateness of the amount of the penalty to the size of the entity charged.

The CPUC has delegated authority to the SED to issue citations and impose penalties for violations identified through audits, investigations, or self-reports. Under the gas and electric citation programs adopted by the CPUC, the SED has discretion whether to issue a penalty for each violation. If it assesses a penalty for a violation, it has the authority to impose the maximum statutory penalty of $100,000 per day, with an administrative limit of $8 million per citation issued. Similar to penalties imposed by the CPUC, penalty payments for citations issued pursuant to the gas and electric safety citation programs are the responsibility of shareholders and may not be recovered through rates or otherwise charged to customers. The CPUC has also authorized the SED to propose for CPUC approval administrative consent orders and administrative enforcement orders when the SED deems a formal order instituting investigation unnecessary.

The California State Legislature also directs the CPUC to implement state laws and policies, such as the laws relating to wildfires and wildfire cost recovery, increasing renewable energy resources, the development and widespread deployment of distributed generation and self-generation resources, the reduction of GHG emissions, the establishment of energy storage procurement targets, and the development of a state-wide electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The CPUC is responsible for approving funding and administration of state-mandated public purpose programs such as energy efficiency and other customer programs. The CPUC also conducts audits and reviews of the Utility’s accounting, performance, and compliance with regulatory guidelines.

The CPUC has imposed various conditions that govern the relationship between the Utility and PG&E Corporation and other affiliates, including financial conditions that require PG&E Corporation’s Board of Directors to give first priority to the capital requirements of the Utility, as determined to be necessary and prudent to meet the Utility’s obligation to serve or to operate the Utility in a prudent and efficient manner. For more information on specific CPUC enforcement matters and CPUC-implemented laws and policies and the related impact on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, “Regulatory Matters,” “Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives,” and “Liquidity and Financial Resources” in Item 7. MD&A and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and California Independent System Operator Corporation

The FERC has jurisdiction over the Utility’s electric transmission revenue requirements and rates, the siting, construction, operation, maintenance, and safety obligations of substantially all of the Utility’s hydroelectric generation facilities, and the interstate sale and transportation of natural gas. The FERC regulates the interconnections of the Utility’s transmission systems with other electric systems and generation facilities, the tariffs and conditions of service of regional transmission organizations, and the terms and rates of wholesale electricity sales. The FERC also is charged with adopting and enforcing mandatory standards governing the reliability of the nation’s electric transmission grid, including standards to protect the nation’s bulk power system against potential disruptions from cyber and physical security breaches. The FERC’s approval is required under Federal Power Act Section 203 before undertaking certain transactions, including most mergers and consolidations, certain transactions that result in a change in control of a utility, purchases of utility securities and dispositions of utility property. The FERC has authority to impose fines of up to $1 million per day for violations of certain federal statutes and regulations. For more information on specific FERC requirements and their impact on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, and “Regulatory Matters,” “Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives,” and “Liquidity and Financial Resources” in Item 7. MD&A, and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

The CAISO is the FERC-approved regional transmission organization for the Utility’s service area. The CAISO controls the operation of the electric transmission system in most of California and a small part of Nevada and provides open access transmission service on a non-discriminatory basis. The CAISO is also responsible for planning transmission system additions, ensuring the maintenance of adequate reserves of generating capacity, ensuring that the reliability of the transmission system is maintained, and operating the wholesale power market in most of California and an interstate energy imbalance market.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The NRC oversees the licensing, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, including the Utility’s two nuclear generating units at DCPP and the Utility’s independent spent fuel storage installation at Humboldt Bay. See “Electricity Resources” below. NRC regulations require extensive monitoring and review of the safety, radiological, seismic, environmental, and security aspects of these facilities. In the event of non-compliance, the NRC has the authority to impose fines or to force a shutdown of a nuclear plant, or both. NRC safety and security requirements have, in the past, necessitated that the Utility incur substantial costs at DCPP, and substantial costs could be required in the future. For more information about DCPP, see Item 1A. Risk Factors and Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.

Other Regulators

The CEC is a California agency with responsibility for energy policy and planning. The CEC is responsible for licensing all thermal power plants over 50 MW within California. The CEC establishes forecasts of future energy needs used by the CPUC in determining the adequacy of utilities’ and other load-serving entities’ electricity procurement. The CEC also promotes energy management and conservation programs, including setting standards for building and appliance energy efficiency and load management programs.

The CARB is the state agency responsible for setting and monitoring GHG and other emission limits. The CARB is also responsible for adopting and enforcing regulations to implement state law requirements to gradually reduce GHG emissions in California. See “Environmental Regulation - Air Quality and the Clean Air Act” below.

The NTSB is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigations, including pipeline accidents. The NTSB also conducts special investigations and safety studies, and issues safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

The California Geologic Energy Management Division is the state agency responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for the operation of the Utility’s underground gas storage facilities.

The Department of Transportation’s (“DOT”) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has established regulations regarding the design, construction, operation, maintenance, integrity, safety, and security of natural gas distribution, transmission, and underground storage facilities. The DOT has certified the CPUC to administer oversight and compliance with these regulations for the entities it regulates in California.

The OEIS is a state agency responsible for reviewing and approving the Utility’s WMP and for evaluating the Utility’s implementation of the WMP. The OEIS is also responsible for reviewing and issuing the Utility’s annual safety certification, annually reviewing and approving the Utility’s executive compensation plan, conducting assessments of the Utility’s safety culture, conducting field inspections of wildfire mitigation activities, and reviewing proposed undergrounding plans under SB 884.

In addition, the Utility obtains permits, authorizations, and licenses in connection with the construction and operation of the Utility’s generation facilities, electricity transmission lines, natural gas transportation pipelines, and gas compressor station facilities. Delay in obtaining, or failure to obtain and maintain, any such permits, authorizations, or licenses could prevent construction of new facilities, limit or prevent continued operation of existing facilities, or result in significant additional costs or restrictions on operations. The Utility also periodically obtains permits, authorizations, and licenses in connection with distribution of electricity and natural gas that grant the Utility rights to occupy or use public property for the operation of the Utility’s business and to conduct certain related operations. The Utility has franchise agreements with approximately 300 cities and counties that permit the Utility to install, operate, and maintain the Utility’s electric or natural gas facilities in the public streets and highways. In exchange for the right to use public streets and highways, the Utility pays annual fees to the cities and counties. In most cases, the Utility’s franchise agreements are for an indeterminate term, with no expiration date. For more information see Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Material Effects of Compliance with Governmental Regulations

As indicated above, the Utility’s business is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of various agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Compliance with such extensive government regulations requires substantial expenditures and has had in the past and may continue to have in the future a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and competitive position. For more information about costs incurred to comply with government regulations and related material effects on PG&E Corporation and the Utility, see Item 1A. Risk Factors, “Liquidity and Financial Resources” and “Regulatory Matters” in Item 7. MD&A, and Notes 14 and 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.