PG&E government representative Jasmine Venegas told the Gonzales City Council on Nov. 19 that the utility is implementing a reconductoring project along Highway 101 to bring a 21 kilovolt feeder from Soledad to the outskirts of Gonzales near Gloria Road. Venegas said the work is intended to enable additional housing and industrial growth and that PG&E expects the feeder to be in service by December 2027, a conservative estimate that depends on permitting and land acquisitions.

"This capacity job will bring a 21 kV feeder from Soledad to the outskirts of the city of Gonzales," Venegas said, adding that PG&E will provide quarterly updates to the city. She described the timeline as conservative and said the company will have a better estimate by February.

Adrienne (Adrianne) Thordson Weathers, a PG&E supervisor in electric distribution planning, told the council the project could deliver roughly 10 to 20 megawatts to the area depending on where new customers connect to the circuit. She said the project is fully funded and that some long‑lead materials already are on order. "Once this is built, you should have no problem bringing those 3,350 horsepower pumps online," she said, referring to equipment discussed by council members.

Council members pressed PG&E on reliability for the roughly eight‑mile circuit from Soledad to Gonzales and on risks such as insulator corrosion and flashover. A former PG&E employee on the council described historic maintenance changes that he said had increased exposure to faults; PG&E staff responded that the current design meets existing standards and that engineers will review specific reliability concerns called out by council members.

Venegas said the project will support industrial customers including a local cooler plant that requires about 9 MW, and that the utility hopes to serve that load along with other customers. She asked the council for assistance with permitting and any land‑acquisition issues that could speed the schedule.

PG&E staff also described longer‑range work — a multi‑year transmission conversion from 60 kV to 115 kV in the region and a proposed substation at Johnson Ranch — that the utility said will address larger capacity needs over a decade or more.

The presentation concluded with council members offering to assist with permitting and land‑owner contacts and with PG&E thanking Public Works Director Patrick M. Dobbins (who is leaving the city) for his partnership on recent projects. No formal action was required or taken on the presentation; PG&E will provide follow‑up updates and expects to have a firmer timeline in February.