Business description of PGE-CORP from last 10-k form

 
 

 
    
    
UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
1 Kilowatt (kW)
=
One thousand watts
1 Kilowatt-Hour (kWh)
One kilowatt continuously for one hour
1 Megawatt (MW)
One thousand kilowatts
1 Megawatt-Hour (MWh)
One megawatt continuously for one hour
1 Gigawatt (GW)
One million kilowatts
1 Gigawatt-Hour (GWh)
One gigawatt continuously for one hour
1 Kilovolt (kV)
One thousand volts
1 MVA
One megavolt ampere
1 Mcf
One thousand cubic feet
1 MMcf
One million cubic feet
1 Bcf
One billion cubic feet
1 MDth
One thousand decatherms
iii
Item 1. Business
Corporate Structure and Business
PG&E Corporation, incorporated in California in 1995, is a holding company whose primary purpose is to hold interests in energy-based businesses.  PG&E Corporation conducts its business principally through Pacific Gas and Electric Company (“Utility”), a public utility operating in northern and central California.  The Utility engages in the businesses of electricity and natural gas distribution; electricity generation, procurement, and transmission; and natural gas procurement, transportation, and storage.  The Utility was incorporated in California in 1905.  PG&E Corporation became the holding company of the Utility and its subsidiaries on January 1, 1997.
The Utility served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers at December 31, 2009.  The Utility had approximately $42.7 billion in assets at December 31, 2009 and generated revenues of $13.4 billion in 2009.  Its revenues are generated mainly through the sale and delivery of electricity and natural gas.  The Utility is regulated primarily by the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”).  In addition, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) oversees the licensing, construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Utility’s nuclear generation facilities.
Corporate and Other Information
The principal executive office of PG&E Corporation is located at One Market, Spear Tower, Suite 2400, San Francisco, California 94105, and its telephone number is (415) 267-7000.  The principal executive office of the Utility is located at 77 Beale Street, P.O. Box 770000, San Francisco, California 94177, and its telephone number is (415) 973-7000.  PG&E Corporation and the Utility file or furnish various reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  These reports, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge on both PG&E Corporation's website, www.pgecorp.com, and the Utility's website, www.pge.com, as promptly as practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC ..  The information contained on these websites is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K and should not be considered part of this report.