PG&E Brings In Proven Gas Operations Leader

SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today the appointment of  Jesus Soto Jr., a highly respected natural gas industry executive, to further solidify the leadership team charged with building the nation's safest natural gas delivery system. Soto will serve as Senior Vice President of Gas Transmission, Operations, Engineering and Pipeline Integrity and will report directly to Nick Stavropoulos, Executive Vice President of Gas Operations. Beginning Tuesday, May 29, 2012, Soto will be responsible for overseeing four major PG&E gas functions: Public Safety and Integrity Management; Project Engineering, Design and Management; Gas Transmission; and Gas System Operations.

"Jesus has a long and powerful track record of building strong teams and safe gas systems," said Stavropoulos. "PG&E and our customers are fortunate to have someone with such a strong background working to make our system the best in the country. We have already made excellent progress in turning our operations around, and there is still more to do. I have every confidence Jesus will play a major role in meeting this challenge." 

Donald Santa, President and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, commented on Soto's move to PG&E: "Jesus Soto's knowledge, background and integrity will be an asset to PG&E."

Soto will leave his position as Vice President of Operations Services for El Paso Corporation's Pipeline Group to take the new position. In his current role, Soto leads a staff of more than 400 employees who provide technical services and support to pipeline field operations in the areas of measurement, compression, reservoir and pipeline systems, DOT compliance, and risk management programs, including public awareness, emergency response and integrity management. He has previously served as vice president of Engineering and Construction, leading the engineering and construction programs for ANR Pipeline, El Paso Natural Gas, Colorado Interstate Gas, Southern Natural Gas and Tennessee Gas Pipeline for onshore and offshore facilities. He also served as a corporate representative in an exchange program with Wintershall Gas GmbH in Kassel, Germany.

Soto currently serves on the board of directors for Genesys Works, a non-profit serving inner-city youth, and the executive Committee for the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI). He has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas-El Paso and a Master's in engineering from Texas A&M University. 

"I look forward to quickly integrating myself into the PG&E Gas Operations organization and reinforcing a team and a culture that are driven to operational excellence anchored in public, employee and contractor safety, facility integrity, regulatory compliance and system reliability," said Soto. "In my discussions with the PG&E senior management team, I was very impressed by their commitment, and the work they have already accomplished, to transform the Gas Operations business into the nation's leading natural gas transmission and distribution systems that transports and delivers natural gas every day in a safe and dependable manner."  

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecurrents.com.

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company