San Jose pushes for city-owned utilities

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo released a memo about "Making San Jose Grid-Resilient."

In it, Liccardo states: "We're going to have to invest in micro-grids- regardless." He says this idea is to develop micro-grids and create a utility that would take over transmission lines rather than be under PG&E.

Liccardo says he is aware the city of San Francisco tried and is trying to purchase local power lines from PG&E for $2.5 billion and that failed. He says San Jose is a much bigger city, which would cost more.

Liccardo says the first challenge is the cost.

He says staff is working on a poll to ask San Jose residents how they want the city to move forward.

The next step is figuring out what the first investments must be.

Liccardo will present this memo to the Rules Committee next Wednesday.

PG&E released this statement to ABC7 News on this memo:

"We have not seen the proposal. However, our San Jose based facilities are not for sale, and to do so would not be consistent with our charter to operate or our mission to serve Northern and Central California communities."