3-12-03 8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Washington, D.C.  20549



FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT


Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report: March 12, 2003



Commission
File
Number

Exact Name of
Registrant
as specified in
its charter


State or other
Jurisdiction of
Incorporation


IRS Employer
  Identification
Number

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

1-12609

1-2348

PG&E Corporation

Pacific Gas and
Electric Company

California

California

94-3234914

94-0742640


Pacific Gas and Electric Company
77 Beale Street, P. O. Box 770000
San Francisco, California  94177

PG&E Corporation
One Market, Spear Tower, Suite 2400
San Francisco, California  94105

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(415) 973-7000

PG&E Corporation
(415) 267-7000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



Item 5. Other Events

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Bankruptcy

A.  Stay of Confirmation Trial

            As ordered by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (Bankruptcy Court), on March 10, 2003, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (Utility), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and certain other parties attended a pre-settlement conference meeting with a settlement judge to assess whether the settlement judge would proceed with a judicially supervised settlement conference at which the parties could explore the possibility of resolving differences between the Utility’s proposed plan of reorganization (Utility Plan) and the alternative proposed plan of reorganization presented by the CPUC and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors.  On March 11, 2003, at the request of the settlement judge who advised the Bankruptcy Court that he has decided to proceed with the settlement conference, the Bankruptcy Court ordered a 60-day stay on all proceedings in the confirmation trial and vacated certain dates the Bankruptcy Court previously had set in its March 6, 2003 supplemental discovery and trial scheduling order.  The Bankruptcy Court did not stay proceedings related to ordinary case motions, claims objections, and certain other matters not related to the confirmation trial. 

            The Bankruptcy Court indicated it will conduct a status conference on May 12, 2003 to schedule further matters relating to discovery and the resumption of the confirmation trial, if necessary.

B. Express Preemption Appeal

            On or about March 10, 2003, the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit set oral argument for May 14, 2003 in the CPUC’s and other parties’ appeals of the August 30, 2002 order issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California that reversed the Bankruptcy Court’s earlier ruling that bankruptcy law did not expressly preempt state laws in connection with the confirmation of the Utility Plan.  The District Court agreed with PG&E Corporation and the Utility that bankruptcy law expressly preempts nonbankruptcy laws that would otherwise apply to bar, among other things, transactions necessary to implement the reorganization plan. The CPUC and other parties have argued that bankruptcy law does not permit express preemption. 


                                       

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                       

PG&E CORPORATION

                                                       

By:  LINDA Y.H. CHENG

                                                       

                                                                  

                                                        

       LINDA Y.H. CHENG
       Corporate Secretary

                                                       

PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY

                                                       

By:  LINDA Y.H. CHENG

                                                       

                                                                      

                                                       

     LINDA Y.H. CHENG

     Corporate Secretary

Dated:  March 12, 2003