Consultant Is Fired by PG

PG&E; Corp.’s Pacific Gas & Electric utility said it fired a consulting company suspected of hacking into the computer system of an irrigation district that is trying to take over territory from the utility.

An employee of the consultant, Meridian Pacific Inc., allegedly obtained computer files last week from the South San Joaquin Irrigation District, which is attempting to take over territory with about 35,000 power meters, Pacific Gas spokesman Jon Tremayne said Monday.

“It’s very clearly unethical behavior, and from our perspective it’s absolutely unacceptable,” Tremayne said.

The incident underscores challenges San Francisco-based Pacific Gas faces from public agencies and government-owned utilities seeking to offer electric services at lower prices.

“We don’t have all the facts on what happened yet, we are in the process of commissioning an investigation,” Meridian Pacific partner Tom Ross said.