PG&E pilots SPAN Edge PanelBoost to bypass home panel bottleneck for electrification

PG&E pilots at‑meter device to clear “panel bottleneck” for home electrification

PanelBoost pairs SPAN Edge with next‑generation meters

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb 5 (Reuters) - Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announces a strategic collaboration with SPAN to deploy SPAN Edge, an at‑the‑meter device that enables real‑time load management so customers can add electric appliances and electric vehicle (EV) charging without the delays, expense or safety constraints of traditional panel or service upgrades. PG&E says it will roll SPAN Edge into a new PanelBoost program that couples the devices with next‑generation metering infrastructure to lower upgrade costs for customers adopting EVs, heat pumps and induction cooking.

PG&E estimates more than 600,000 homes in its service area are likely to require some type of electric service upgrade over the next decade to meet electrification demand, and says the SPAN partnership aims to enable thousands of households to add electric appliances and EVs faster and more affordably while maintaining a reliable, resilient grid. Demonstration materials show SPAN Edge connected directly to the meter, and PG&E frames the work as part of the utility’s commitment to affordable electrification, saying the approach bypasses lengthy panel work and reduces customer disruption.

The utility positions PanelBoost as a practical, scalable alternative to widespread and costly panel replacements, forecasting the combined program could materially reduce customer upgrade bills and shorten the timeline for residential electrification across its territory. SPAN CEO Arch Rao says deploying SPAN Edge at scale helps customers bypass the traditional “panel bottleneck” and accelerates the clean energy transition, and PG&E notes other partners, including Landis+Gyr, are using the technology to manage distribution system upgrades while coordinating distributed demand.

PG&E backs school nutrition and activity drive

PG&E appears as a corporate supporter in the completion of GENYOUth’s Super Schools initiative at Grass Valley Elementary in Oakland, which delivers nutrition equipment grants and NFL FLAG‑In‑School kits to 60 Bay Area schools. The program, supported by partners including the NFL Foundation, PepsiCo Foundation, Amazon Access and Domino’s, is increasing access to about 9 million school meals annually and expanding daily physical activity for more than 33,000 students.

Organizers say grants provide heated food warmers and refrigerated storage to boost meal participation and reduce food waste, and FLAG kits supply instructional resources and inclusive equipment to embed movement into school routines. Sponsors plan monitoring to track meal counts and activity minutes over coming school years, describing the initiative as a measurable community impact tied to Super Bowl LX.