PG&E, Operator of One of the Largest Privately-Held Hydroelectric Systems in the U.S., has Helped Power California with Water for More than 125 Years
Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E’s) 25,000 coworkers, operators of one of the largest privately-held hydroelectric systems in the United States, are pleased to join the National Hydropower Association (NHA) in celebrating National Hydropower Day, on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
PG&E’s hydro system, established in 1895, now is spread across 140,000 acres of land, and includes ownership of 168 dams, 64 powerhouses, with about 200 miles of canals and flumes, providing California with more than 3,800 megawatts capacity of clean, reliable and affordable electricity.
National Hydropower Day celebrates hydropower’s undeniable contributions to America’s clean energy infrastructure and future.
Jan Nimick, vice president of PG&E’s Power Generation organization, said, “As a leader in generating hydroelectric power for more than 125 years, PG&E is pleased to join the NHA in celebrating National Hydropower Day. Given that our hydro projects have been helping to keep the lights on in northern and central California for so long, the value they provide can sometimes go unnoticed. As a hydropower generator, we are proud to provide this clean, reliable source of energy to power our communities’ homes, schools and businesses.”
Nationwide, in 2019, hydropower represented nearly 6.6% of total U.S. electricity generation and 38% of renewable electricity generation. The U.S. hydropower fleet is comprised of approximately 2,200 power plants with a total capacity of roughly 80 gigawatts (GW), which includes 91% of U.S. storage capacity (23 GW) of pumped storage.
Hydropower is also a major job creator, employing approximately 66,500 workers in the U.S.
Safety is PG&E’s most important responsibility. For more information on PG&E’s hydroelectric system, including tips to keep the public safe near our water facilities, please visit pge.com and type “Hydroelectric System” into the search bar.
For more specific information on National Hydropower Day, you can browse the NHA web page at https://www.hydro.org/hydroday/.
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 Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
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