PG&E and Itron expand grid intelligence collaboration through 2026

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (NYSE: PCG) and Itron announced an expanded collaboration to deploy distributed intelligence technology across PG&E's electrical grid. The utility plans to install up to 1,000 new Itron devices through 2026, with potential scaling to hundreds of thousands of devices.

The collaboration focuses on three areas: facilitating home electrification, reducing wildfire risks, and improving grid management. The technology allows Itron grid edge devices to connect directly to Level 2 EV chargers, automatically adjusting charging speeds based on home electrical limits and grid conditions. This capability aims to reduce the need for costly electrical panel upgrades that can cost thousands of dollars.

"This collaboration is about innovating to improve the lives of California's families and businesses," said Mike Delaney, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at PG&E. "By using grid-edge technology and real-time data, we can make it easier for our customers to charge an EV at home and for us detect potential problems with equipment early."

The distributed intelligence platform enables devices to respond to grid changes in less than one second, providing real-time alerts to PG&E crews about equipment issues or power line problems. The system can capture electrical waveforms to identify unusual activity that could signal equipment problems, supporting wildfire prevention efforts.

Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron, stated that the platform enables "devices to work together locally, making real-time decisions that improve safety, reliability and customer experience."

The collaboration is partially funded through PG&E's Electric Program Investment Charge, which enables California investor-owned utilities to demonstrate new technologies. PG&E serves more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California.

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