Independent Safety Monitor

As a condition of approving Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) plan for exiting bankruptcy in May 2020, the CPUC required PG&E’s shareholders to fund an Independent Safety Monitor (ISM) to succeed the Court Appointed Federal Monitor, which was an element of PG&E’s criminal probation. The Federal Monitor’s term concluded in January 2022. By establishing an ISM, the CPUC enhances its safety oversight of PG&E. An independent consultant, Filsinger Energy Partners, Inc., was selected as the ISM in a competitive bid process and reports to the CPUC. The ISM will serve for five years and provide summary reports of their activities and observations every six months to the CPUC and the public.

The ISM supports and adds to the CPUC’s sustained efforts to ensure PG&E prioritizes and executes effective risk reduction. The ISM assesses PG&E’s risk management activities in the field, evaluates safety operations and the efficacy of risk identification and mitigation activities. The ISM also monitors PG&E’s safety-related recordkeeping and record management systems to ensure modernization efforts are informed by prior failures and support safe system construction, operation, and maintenance in PG&E’s electric and natural gas lines of business.

BACKGROUND AND REGULATORY DOCUMENTS

October 11, 2023: CPUC Press Release for Third PG&E Independent Safety Monitor Report (see report below)

May 2, 2023: CPUC Press Release for Second PG&E Independent Safety Monitor Report (see report below)

October 10, 2022: CPUC Press Release for First PG&E Independent Safety Monitor Report (see report below)

August 05, 2021: CPUC Sets Scope for PG&E Independent Safety Monitor

June 11, 2021: CPUC Issues Proposal Establishing Independent Safety Monitor Over PG&E

March 15, 2021: CPUC Seeks Comment on Proposal for PG&E Independent Safety Monitor

July 1, 2020: PG&E emerged from bankruptcy.

May 28, 2020: The CPUC approved PG&E’s proposed bankruptcy reorganization plan with certain conditions and modifications. Decision (D).20-05-053, ordering paragraph 8, provides ISM related requirements.

ISM REPORTS

The ISM report is designed to summarize the oversight activities performed by the ISM and the related observations. Below are ISM reports prepared by Filsinger Energy Partners:

October 18, 2024: ISM Report 5 for the period of April 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024

April 4, 2024: ISM Report 4 for the period of October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024

October 11, 2023: ISM Report 3 for the period of April 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023

April 3, 2023: ISM Report 2 for the period of October 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023. 

October 4, 2022: ISM Report 1 for the period of January 27, 2022 through September 30, 2022.