Waiting on PG&E: Power Timelines for SF Build-Outs
- The history: in 2023 hundreds of San Francisco buildings were finished but waiting for power, and the city linked PG&E delays to millions in added housing costs.
- The rules now: SB 410 and AB 50 led the CPUC to set energization targets in 2024. For most service and distribution work the target is an average of 182 days, counting only time under the utility’s control.
- The reality: PG&E reports a much lower average and far fewer waiting customers. The city still points to delayed grid projects after the December 2025 outage.
- Your move: treat power as a critical-path item. Apply early, size the load honestly, and use load management to keep the request small.
On a San Francisco build-out, the electrical rough-in is rarely what sets the opening date. More often it’s the date PG&E energizes the new service or upgrades the transformer. State law and regulators have pushed the utility to move faster, and PG&E reports real progress. Here’s what owners and tenants should know before signing a lease or setting an opening date.
How San Francisco got here
- In 2023, local reporting found 319 commercial and multifamily buildings in San Francisco waiting on PG&E for power.
- Comparing 2018 to 2022, PG&E took a median of about 64 days to energize after construction was complete, versus about 9 days for Southern California Edison.
- In 2024 the mayor cited 75 delayed projects, and the city’s housing office estimated more than $40 million in added costs for affordable housing.
Those numbers drove the state legislation that followed.
The legal targets since 2024
SB 410 and AB 50 (both 2023) directed the CPUC to set energization timelines and a way to report delays. In Decision D.24-09-020 (September 2024), the CPUC adopted these targets:
| Type of work | Average target | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Service line work | 182 days | 335 days |
| Distribution line work (under 50kV) | 182 days | 357 days |
| Upstream capacity work on lines | n/a | 684 days |
| New substation | n/a | 3,242 days |
Only time when the utility is in control counts. Time waiting on the customer’s design, payments, easements or inspections does not. Utilities report performance twice a year.
PG&E’s reported progress, and the caveats
PG&E reports an average of about 118 days for new service as of March 2026. It also reports a drop of roughly 97% in the number of customers waiting since mid-2023, along with new tools including a project tracker and an escalation path.
Two caveats are worth keeping in mind:
- These are self-reported averages. Projects that need transformer, feeder or substation work can still take much longer.
- Reliability is a parallel issue. On December 20, 2025, a substation fire left roughly a third of the city without power. In October 2026 the city asked state regulators to investigate, citing delayed PG&E grid projects in San Francisco.
A CPUC proposal for “flexible service connections” would let some projects energize at partial capacity while upgrades are completed. Ask your electrician whether it applies before relying on it.
How to protect your schedule
- Ask about power before you sign. For tenant improvements, find out what service exists, what the landlord has committed, and whether the space has spare capacity.
- Apply early with complete load information. The utility timeline doesn’t start until the application is complete.
- Request only the load you need. A measured load study (NEC 220.87) and energy management (220.70) can keep you within the existing service, or shrink the upgrade.
- Get the scope and cost in writing. Ask for the Rule 16 estimate and the expected timeline, and note who owns each step.
- Track and escalate. Use PG&E’s project tracker. If a milestone slips, escalate early, citing the CPUC targets.
- Plan temporary power. Budget for it on construction schedules where opening dates are fixed.
For the full list of electrical schedule risks in a build-out, see 7 delays you can avoid in SF build-outs.
Most avoidable PG&E delays start in our own industry: an incomplete load letter, a late application, a panel schedule that changed after submission. Get those right and the utility clock starts sooner.
Questions we hear often
How long does PG&E take to energize a new commercial service in San Francisco?
PG&E reports an average of about 118 days for new service as of March 2026. The CPUC target for most service and distribution work is an average of 182 days, counting only time under the utility’s control. Projects that need transformer or substation work can take longer.
What are SB 410 and AB 50?
California laws passed in 2023 that required the CPUC to set energization timelines for utilities and to track delays. The CPUC adopted targets in Decision D.24-09-020 in September 2024.
Can I open with reduced power while PG&E finishes upgrades?
Possibly. The CPUC has considered a flexible service connection option that would allow partial capacity while upgrades are built. Availability depends on the final decision and on PG&E’s process.
How do I escalate a PG&E energization delay?
Use PG&E’s project tracking and escalation path. Document the dates your application was complete and each milestone, and reference the CPUC energization targets. Your electrical contractor can help coordinate.
Does load management help with PG&E timelines?
Yes. Limiting the requested load with a listed energy management system, or proving spare capacity with a measured load study, can avoid or shrink utility upgrade work. That is the slowest part of many projects.
Sources and further reading
We checked the facts in this article against these primary sources. Rules, rates and incentives change, so confirm current details before you make a decision.
- PG&E: Cutting new service delays (newsroom)
- San Francisco Chronicle: PG&E delays and affordable housing
- KQED: How PG&E adds months-long delays to new housing
- The San Francisco Standard: City asks regulators to probe PG&E outages (October 2026)
This article is general information for San Francisco readers, not legal, tax or engineering advice for a specific property.
