Hollister is one of the fastest growing cities on the Central Coast. And just like any other booming community, energy is at the heart of its housing and economic goals.

In the next seven years, the city hopes to build 4,163 new homes, increase jobs and promote Hollister as a tourist destination.

To help enable those ambitious plans, PG&E flipped the switch on a $12 million capacity project. The Hollister Capacity Project has been in the works since 2020.

A larger transformer bank added about 20 megawatts of capacity. A new 21,000-volt circuit leads to the city's airport. That's where most of the economic growth is happening.

This added capacity is expected to meet the city’s energy needs. The upgrades also will improve service. And crews will be better able to manage outages and maintenance work while keeping the power on.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the project's completion. Taking part were city and state officials, including Sen. John Laird, Sen. Anna Caballero and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. They presented PG&E with a certificate of recognition. 

Regional Vice President Teresa Alvarado said the project shows PG&E's hometown commitment.

“We are investing in projects like this across our service area to keep up with the demand," Alvarado said. "Hollister is an active city. We’re fueling its economy.”

The project will support new EV chargers, industrial buildings and agriculture businesses. The city also plans to build a new school and expand its college campus.

Officials say this additional electric capacity will attract businesses and keep jobs local. 

PG&E has identified a second upgrade to boost the city’s capacity by an additional 20%.