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Commission hears that Gonzales cooler project needs 9 megawatts; PG&E reconductoring targeted to add capacity by 2027
Summary
Staff and the applicant told the commission the proposed cooler will require about 9 megawatts of power, the city currently has roughly 1.5 megawatts to spare, and a PG&E reconductoring project that could add capacity is targeting mid-2027, creating a key schedule dependency for the project.
Planning staff and the project team told commissioners that utility capacity — not land-use approvals — is the gating issue for the Gonzales Cooler project.
“At this point it takes 9 megawatts to run the cooler,” staff said during the presentation. Staff also noted the city currently has about 1.5 megawatts of spare capacity and described a PG&E reconductoring project intended to increase capacity; speakers said that work has slipped and that the latest target for increased capacity is around May 2027.
The applicant and city staff said they are keeping regular meetings with PG&E to press for the work and to monitor capital projects that could provide additional power. The applicant cautioned that even if reconductoring is completed, the developer will still need building permits and may need to re-evaluate financing and schedules before construction could start.
