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PG&E Corp. Ceo Outlines Blueprint To Advance Clean Energy Solutions And Address Global Warming

01/17/2007

Company Earns NRDC Honors for Environmental Performance and Leadership...
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaking today at the National Press Club, Peter A. Darbee, Chairman, CEO and President of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) urged federal policy makers to take a series of actions aimed at accelerating the nation’s efforts to advance clean energy solutions and address global warming.

“Within the span of a generation, we need to significantly transform the ways we provide for our energy needs,” said Darbee. “If we rise to the challenge, we can head off the dangers of global warming. We can help secure America’s long-term economic prosperity. We can reduce our dependence on unstable parts of the world. And we can even instill in our nation a new sense of global leadership.”

In particular, Darbee called on Washington to respond to this challenge by setting clear and achievable long-term national requirements for lowering global warming emissions across all sectors of the economy. Mandatory federal emissions targets would, he said, create the certainty and consistency that U.S. companies need to move forward with the strategic planning and investments that will be essential for progress on clean energy and climate change. Darbee advocated strongly in favor of establishing a broad-based, national cap and trade system to achieve the long-term requirements.

He also asked federal policy makers to take a number of concrete, pragmatic steps on energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean conventional power generation, transparency and greenhouse gas emissions reporting, and alternative transportation technologies.

Specific recommendations for federal action included:

Energy Efficiency:

  • Provide incentives for utilities to advocate for energy efficiency programs by encouraging decoupling of utility revenues from the amount of energy sold.
  • Adopt national energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances.
  • Increase R&D spending on new energy saving technologies.

Renewable Energy:

  • Set a federal renewables target goal and timeline.
  • Extend production and investment incentives for renewables to reduce the cost of technology development and encourage fuller deployment.
  • Increase R&D spending on large-scale renewable development and demonstration projects.

Clean Conventional Generation:

  • Drive new efficiencies in natural gas fired generation.
  • Facilitate development of new supplies and infrastructure to get supplies to the market.
  • Fund large-scale clean coal development and demonstration projects.
  • Establish rules for carbon dioxide capture, transport and storage.
  • Evaluate the future role of nuclear power in the U.S. energy supply.

Greenhouse Gas Reporting:

  • Establish reporting processes, protocols and standards to ensure that businesses in all sectors report and certify their greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Provide credit for early adopters and investors in emissions reductions programs.

Advanced Transportation Technologies:

  • Provide financial incentives for individuals and fleet owners to invest in alternative fuel powered vehicles.
  • Encourage utilities and other energy providers to invest in infrastructure to support emerging transportation technologies.

Darbee delivered his remarks during a ceremony at which Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) honored PG&E for the company’s long and ongoing track record of environmental leadership -- only the third such presentation that the NRDC has made in the group’s history. The honors were presented to Darbee by Ralph Cavanagh, senior NRDC attorney, and Devra Wang, Director of NRDC’s California Energy Program.

“PG&E sets the bar on environmental leadership for all utilities,” said Cavanagh. “The company’s industry-leading energy efficiency programs and its bold leadership on climate change at the state and federal level provide an example of how the actions of one company can make a significant contribution to protecting the environment.”

The NRDC recognition is the latest award received by PG&E for its environmental leadership. With more than 140 environmental honors in total, other recent awards include two Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards, the state’s most prestigious environmental honor, the Keystone Center Leadership in Industry Award, the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR® and WasteWise Awards, and the Solar Electric Power Association’s Public Awareness and Industry Leadership Award.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

For more information about PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, please visit our web sites at www.pgecorp.com and www.pge.com

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