Calwa Health Center opening delayed, officials say PG&E is the cause

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- After breaking ground in June 2023, United Health Centers expected the new facility near Jensen and Cedar to be open for business now. But that's not the case.

"The reason we are here today, as you can see the construction is close to being finished, but we're waiting on PG&E to power up the facility," said Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez.

Dental and exam rooms inside the building are complete but it's dark.

"I told them this morning I don't want to hear any excuses," said Chavez.

Councilmember Luis Chavez says 56,000 people in the Calwa community don't have health coverage or access to it.

For Araceli Zanabria, who lives in southeast Fresno, she knows the difference the facility can make for her neighbors health.

"They always forget about us, we are a poor neighborhood and there is a lot of contamination making it hard for us to take of our health," said Zanabria.

But the wait still continues.

"Last night at late hours of the night, they did receive one of the contracts that needs to happen, but we need all three contracts executed and it has been frustrating," said Chavez.

Action News reached out to PG&E about the hold up for the healthcare facility.

"There's different permitting issues for both electric and so that's part of it, so the electric part of this, other than the permitting is actually pretty much complete at this point, the gas has got just a little bit more to go," said PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith.

Smith says the building is electrified and they are 95% done.

The company is working to finalize the permitting, which Smith says a challenge working with different agencies.

Meanwhile, the United Health Centers CEO Justin Preas says construction was ahead of schedule, and they were hoping for a completion date now.

"Its very frustrating to me, that we have this resource, we have very highly qualified people hired, to be able to take care of people that need it more than anyone in this community and we can't get the doors open," said Preas.

PG&E adds they understand the value this facility holds and they do plan to have the building fully operational by the end of the month.

For news updates, follow Brianna Willis on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.