PG&E Agrees to Sell Its San Francisco Headquarters Complex to Hines Atlas US LP for $800 Million

Rhea-AI Summary

PG&E Corporation has agreed to sell its San Francisco headquarters for $800 million to Hines Atlas US LP, pending CPUC approval. This sale aligns with PG&E’s commitment to return net gains to customers, proposing to distribute $390 million to $420 million over five years to lower rates. The move to a new, more efficient headquarters in Oakland aims to reduce overall costs while improving employee workspace and commute times. PG&E previously sold non-core assets, highlighting a focus on financial health and customer affordability.

Positive

• Sale of San Francisco headquarters for $800 million expected to benefit customer rates.
• Estimated $390 million to $420 million to be returned to customers over five years.
• Move to a more efficient Oakland headquarters aims to reduce long-term costs.
• Consolidation of satellite offices will simplify operations and further decrease real estate costs.

Negative

• None.

PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (together, “PG&E” or the “company”) today announced an agreement to sell the company’s San Francisco headquarters complex, which includes 77 Beale Street and 245 Market Street, to Hines Atlas US LP, a Delaware limited partnership, for $800 million. In keeping with commitments PG&E made last year, the company is seeking California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) approval to return the net gain realized on the sale to PG&E customers.

CBRE’s San Francisco Capital Markets team served as PG&E’s exclusive listing broker.

PG&E remains on track for a phased move into its new headquarters at 300 Lakeside Drive in Oakland, beginning in the first half of 2022. The move is part of PG&E's broader commitment to implement changes for the long-term benefit of its customers and communities. PG&E expects the move to Oakland to result in substantially lower headquarters costs over a long-term period.

“We are working hard every day to make fundamental changes at PG&E and become the utility our customers expect and deserve,” said PG&E Corporation Chief Executive Officer Patti Poppe. “We’ve made a commitment to keep customer costs as low as possible, and one way we’re following through on that is by selling non-core assets including real estate. This sale and relocation will achieve cost savings that directly help reduce customer bills. At the same time, it will give us an efficient and effective Bay Area workspace as we focus on delivering for all of the communities we serve.”

Under the terms of the sale agreement, the transaction closing is contingent on CPUC approval of the sale. PG&E will be proposing to the CPUC to distribute approximately $390 million to $420 million to customers resulting from the gain on sale over a five-year period to offset future customer rates. This offset would help moderate rate growth as the company continues to make significant safety and operational investments.

The new Oakland headquarters uses space more efficiently for PG&E's workforce and provides greater flexibility in its layout and density. Its design can both promote workplace health and safety and accommodate potential new working arrangements in a post-COVID-19 environment. In addition, commutes for most PG&E headquarters-based coworkers should be shorter and less impactful, with a majority living in the East Bay and with multiple transportation options serving the Lakeside Drive location.

“We’re so excited to deepen our ties to the wonderful Oakland community. As an economic and innovation hub for California, Oakland is the perfect place for PG&E to call our hometown,” continued Ms. Poppe.

PG&E also plans to consolidate two other East Bay satellite office locations—3401 Crow Canyon Road in San Ramon and 1850 Gateway Boulevard in Concord—into the new Oakland headquarters. This overall plan simplifies PG&E's Bay Area real estate footprint and further lowers its real estate costs for the benefit of customers.

This sale is consistent with PG&E’s focus on financial health and customer affordability and is not anticipated to have an impact on its 2021 equity needs. In addition, PG&E announced another strategic sale of non-core assets earlier this year: the $973 million sale of transmission tower wireless licenses to SBA Communications Corporation.

About PG&E Corporation

PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) is a holding company headquartered in San Francisco. It is the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, an energy company that serves 16 million Californians across a 70,000-square-mile service area in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pgecorp.com. In this press release, they are together referred to as “PG&E.”

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the beliefs, expectations, estimates, future plans and strategies of PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, including but not limited to the sale of the San Francisco headquarters complex. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, which management believes are reasonable, and on information currently available to management, but are necessarily subject to various risks and uncertainties. In addition to the risk that these assumptions prove to be inaccurate, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements include factors disclosed in PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s joint annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, their most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and other reports filed with the SEC, which are available on PG&E Corporation's website at www.pgecorp.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether due to new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005486/en/

FAQ

What is the significance of PG&E's sale of its San Francisco headquarters?

PG&E's sale of its San Francisco headquarters for $800 million is aimed at providing financial relief to customers, with plans to return net gains to them.

How much money will PG&E return to customers from the sale?

PG&E plans to distribute approximately $390 million to $420 million to customers over a five-year period.

Where is PG&E's new headquarters located?

PG&E's new headquarters will be located at 300 Lakeside Drive in Oakland.

What are the expected benefits of PG&E's move to Oakland?

The move is expected to result in lower headquarters costs, improved employee workspace and shorter commutes for a majority of staff.

What was PG&E's previous significant asset sale earlier this year?

Earlier this year, PG&E sold transmission tower wireless licenses to SBA Communications for $973 million.