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P 
acific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) serves an area of 70,000 square miles in central and northern California. With a workforce of 21,800 people, PG&E provides gas and electric services for approximately one of every 20 Americans. In 2002, the Company met their goal to reduce their 1998 baseline emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF 
6 
) by half. SF 
6 
is a gaseous dielectric used by electric utilities primarily in high voltage circuit breakers and gas-insu- lated substations. When released to the atmosphere, SF 
6 
is a highly potent and persistent greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. The experience of PG&E can help other utilities in meeting their environmental and operational goals through cost-effective solutions to reduce SF 
6 
loss.
PG&E Case Study
Reducing SF
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EmissionsMeans Better Businessfor Utilities
The SF
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Emission Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systemsis a voluntary program between the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) and electric power companies. Its goal is to identify and imple-ment cost-effective operational and technical solutions to reduce SF
6
 emissions. By reducing SF
6
emissions where feasible, the electricpower industry can play a key role in addressing climate change.This Partnership is one of several EPA voluntary programs workingwith specific industries that emit potent greenhouse gases.
 
Reducing SF
6
EmissionsSF
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Partnership Case Study
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Reducing SF
6
EmissionsSF
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Partnership Case Study
Pacific Gas and Electric Company chose to jointhe Partnership for three reasons:• to respond to the issue of climate change;• to learn SF
6
management and emissionreduction techniques from other utilities; and• to manage the escalating cost of SF
6
gaspurchases.Participation in the Partnership has led to aproductive dialog between PG&E, the EPAand other utility partners, with benefits for all.For example, at EPA’s 2002 SF
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Conference,PG&E not only presented its successes to otherutility partners and potential partners but alsolearned of an innovative new method for drain-ing low pound/pressure SF
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-containing equip-ment such as circuit switches. The Company iscurrently investigating this new technique.In 1999, PG&E set a three-year goal ofreducing annual SF
6
emissions by 50 percentfrom a 1998 baseline. The Company achievedthis goal by implementing several key policiesand procedures resulting in more efficient andcost-effective use of SF
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. The savings in avoidedgas purchases totaled about $400,000; thecost to implement the policies and procedurestotaled about $100,000 (and yielded a netsavings of $300,000).In 2002, PG&E had one of the lowest SF
6
gasloss rates of all large partners, at 4 percent.The Company has set a second goal of reduc-ing annual SF
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emissions by 60 percent by2007, compared to the 1998 baseline.Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s successin reducing SF
6
emissions results from fivekey actions:•
Corporate Support.
PG&E seniormanagers played a key role in initiatingand sustaining progress in reducing SF
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 emissions. In 2003, corporate officialsrecognized members of the SF
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EmissionReduction Team for their contribution toenvironmental protection. As an earlyPartner, PG&E participated in discussionswith EPA and other industry representativesto develop the SF
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Partnership.•
Getting the Right Mix of People.
Tomeet its emission reduction target, PG&Eestablished a team from its ElectricTransmission and Environmental Affairsdepartments. Environmental Affairs andElectric Transmission staff collaborated indeveloping an SF
6
handling policy, whilethe Transmission department educated fieldemployees and implemented the newlydeveloped SF
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policy and procedures.•
SF 
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Handling Procedures.
The Companyhad a corporate environmental policy prior to joining the Partnership, but new SF
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-specifichandling procedures were created to addressissues such as transfers of SF
6
gas fromcylinders, evacuation of SF
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from circuitbreakers, and leak detection procedures.These procedures provided additionalguidance to field personnel.•
Controlling SF 
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Purchases.
PG&Eselected a single full-service vendor toreplace multiple SF
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suppliers, with theunderstanding that the Company and vendor
Company AchievementsBenefits of Reducing SF
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Gas Lossand Joining the SF
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PartnershipKey Policies and Procedures
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Reducing SF
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EmissionsSF
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Partnership Case Study
would work together in achieving the goal oftracking all SF
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transactions and compilingan accurate SF
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inventory. The vendor sup-plies SF
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, removes SF
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for recycling off-site,conducts an annual SF
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cylinder inventory andcoordinates leak detection activities with a sub-contractor. As a result, SF
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costs are no longerhidden at the local facility level. Separating SF
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 purchases, inventory and recycling from othercompressed gas purchases has allowed forbetter tracking of SF
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usage. In addition, PG&Eis able to purchase its own recycled SF
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at areduced cost.•
Improved Leak Detection and Mitigation Measures.
PG&E’s leak detection strategyinvolves tracking “topping off” events loggedfor circuit breakers. When a leaking breaker isidentified, the Company first attempts to findthe leak by spraying the breaker with a soapand water solution or by using a hand-heldhalogen gas detector. If these efforts fail tolocate the leak, or if the equipment mustbe kept energized, a laser camera is used.PG&E’s original SF
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leak detection policy wasto survey all SF
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equipment with the lasercamera. This policy was revised based on therealization that leaks could be more readilyidentified by whether or not the equipmentrequired topping off. As a result, more selectiveuse of the camera has reduced the originallyestimated costs for the program and enabledthe Company to focus on a smaller populationof breakers. With increased awareness of SF
6
 issues, field personnel also identified leaks inequipment that were previously overlooked,such as gas carts and gauges.Before undertaking these leak detection andmitigation measures, the Company was losingroughly 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of SF
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peryear. Now the loss rate is down to about 11,000pounds per year (approximately 4 percent of theCompany’s total nameplate capacity).•
More Money Saved in the Future.
PG&Eestimates that it can save an additional$50,000 to $100,000 annually over the next10 years through improved SF
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handling.These savings assume continuation of theaggressive leak mitigation measures, replace-ment of older SF
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-filled circuit breakers,SF
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recycling and inventory reductions andextended warranties from equipmentmanufacturers.•
Eliminated Cylinder Rental Fees and Cleaned Up Maintenance Yards.
 Previously, a limited sense of “ownership”for stored SF
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cylinders existed at substationmaintenance yards. This led to occasionalfailures in returning leased cylinders, whichthen incurred unnecessary rental fees andcluttered the gas storage areas. Now (throughtight inventory control), old cylinders have beenremoved, new cylinders are closely trackedand rental fees have been eliminated.
Additional Benefits
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