PG&E sees rising interest in ‘customer-driven’ flexible interconnection pilot

Pacific Gas & Electric is expanding a pilot program called Flex Connect that gets large electricity users hooked up to the grid much faster than usual. Normally, big new connections can take one to three years to get full power capacity approved. Under Flex Connect, PG&E lets customers connect in months instead, in exchange for agreeing to have their power use scaled back automatically during rare periods when the local grid is stretched thin. So far, participants have been able to draw their needed power 90% of the time, with only brief cutbacks during unusual spikes in demand.

This program is aimed at businesses, not typical homeowners — current and prospective users include electric vehicle charging companies, data centers, factories, and battery storage projects, most needing 2 to 5 megawatts of power (some data centers and factories want up to 10 megawatts). One example is an electric truck charging depot in Fresno that used Flex Connect to open well ahead of the usual timeline while permanent grid upgrades continue in the background.

For homeowners, this isn't a program you'd sign up for directly. But it points to how PG&E is trying to handle a surge in demand for new grid connections without long waits, which could shape how quickly the utility can support things like EV charging infrastructure and other electricity-hungry projects in your area. PG&E says it's now working with state regulators to make Flex Connect a permanent, formal program rather than just a pilot.