A case involving homebuilders Pacific Gas and Electric getting ahead of their construction work sparked a Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday as residents wait for power to come on before they can move into their homes.
Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle wanted to confront the utility company, but the company denied the salacious allegations and demanded cooperation to solve the problem.
The background story: Developer DR Horton has been in talks with PG&E since 2021 about electrifying the new Fox Run development in Corcoran.
- The families had planned to move into the homes in August 2023, but a delay in PG&E connecting the development to the power grid has further pushed back the move-in date.
Current status: While the Kings County Board of Supervisors’ agenda included only an update from PG&E on affordability and income-based fixed-rate programs, the discussion largely revolved around the Corcoran project.
- Supervisor Richard Valle, who represents the region, said DR Horton paid PG&E $98,000 to electrify the development.
- But PG&E delayed the project because the company needed easements from neighboring landowners that had not yet been acquired.
- PG&E says it has been in discussions with DR Horton since July 2021 about the requirements to electrify the development and has requested a redesign of the project to provide electricity.
What we observe: Valley said he wanted PG&E to bring Poppe to the area to help resolve the problem and asked PG&E representatives to schedule a meeting for next month.
- He also asked Kings County to add an agenda item for a formal public meeting with PG&E, DR Horton and the City of Corcoran next month to facilitate an agreement.
What they say: Neither the county nor PG&E could discuss details of the project at Tuesday’s meeting because it was not on the agenda, which would have violated the Brown Act, but both sides made only general comments.
- “PG&E is not simply demanding an arbitrary redesign without reason or justification,” Greg Race, PG&E senior manager, told the board.
- Valle said his focus is on PG&E because that utility is the only one that can turn on the power.
- “That’s all I care about, getting these people into their homes,” Valle said. “It’s their devastating, stressful situation.”
- Nathan Alonzo, a public affairs specialist at PG&E, added: “It’s going to be very productive if all of us who are in leadership positions and have a part in this problem come together and take our individual parts, connect them together and find a way forward as quickly and productively as possible. That’s what we’ve been doing since we first met four months ago and brought everyone together, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do until these folks can get back into their homes.”
