Core Insights - The collaboration between Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Itron aims to transform the energy landscape, enhance customer experience, reduce wildfire risk, and create a more reliable and flexible grid [1][2] Group 1: Customer Experience and Electrification - The partnership focuses on improving the ease and affordability of home EV charging and electrification, addressing the high costs and lengthy processes associated with electrical upgrades for fast Level 2 EV chargers [3][4] - Itron's grid edge devices can connect directly to Level 2 chargers, automatically adjusting charging speeds based on home electrical limits and local grid conditions, thus avoiding costly upgrades for customers with smaller panels [4][5] Group 2: Grid Safety and Efficiency - The collaboration enhances PG&E's ability to operate the grid more safely and efficiently, reducing operations and maintenance costs while driving down customer rates [6] - Real-time grid awareness is achieved through distributed intelligence applications, allowing PG&E to respond to grid changes in less than one second, which helps in quickly identifying and addressing potential issues [7] - The technology aids in wildfire mitigation by detecting unusual electrical activity that could signal equipment problems, enabling early intervention [7] Group 3: Load Management and Infrastructure - The grid edge devices assist PG&E in balancing electricity demand as more customers adopt electric technologies, optimizing existing grid assets and limiting the need for additional upgrades [8] - PG&E plans to install up to 1,000 new Itron devices by 2026, with intentions to scale to hundreds of thousands, shaping the long-term advanced metering infrastructure [9] Group 4: Funding and Innovation - The collaboration is partially funded through PG&E's electric R&D budget under the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC), which supports the demonstration of new technologies for safety, reliability, and affordability [10]