EXHIBIT 23
                                        

                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference of our reports dated February 9, 1998, included or incorporated by
reference in this Form 10-K, into the previously filed registration statements
as follows: (1) PG&E Corporation's Form S-3 Registration Statement File No. 333-
16255 (relating to PG&E Corporation's Dividend Reinvestment Plan); (2) Pacific
Gas and Electric Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement File No. 33-64136
(relating to $2,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Pacific Gas and
Electric Company's First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds and Medium-Term Notes);
(3) Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement File No.
33-50707 (relating to $1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Pacific Gas
and Electric Company's First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds); (4) PG&E
Corporation's Form S-8 Registration Statement File No. 33-50601 (relating to the
Pacific Gas and Electric Company Savings Fund Plan for Employees); (5) PG&E
Corporation's Form S-8 Registration Statement File No. 33-23692 (relating to
PG&E Corporation's 1986 Stock Option Plan); (6) Pacific Gas and Electric
Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement File No. 33-62488 (relating to
10,000,000 shares of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Redeemable First
Preferred Stock); (7) Form S-3 Registration Statement File No. 33-61959
(relating to $335,000,000 aggregate liquidation value of Cumulative Quarterly
Income Preferred Securities); (8) PG&E Corporation's Form S-8 Registration
Statement File No. 333-16253 (relating to PG&E Corporation's Long-Term Incentive
Program), (9) PG&E Corporation's Form S-3 Registration Statement File No.333-
25685 (relating to the resale of PG&E Corporation shares held by certain
shareholders), (10) PG&E Corporation's Post-Effective Amendment on Form S-8 to
Form S-4 Registration Statement File No. 333-27015 (relating to Valero Energy
Corporation Stock Option Plan No. 4, Valero Energy Corporation Stock Option Plan
No. 5, and Valero Energy Corporation Executive Stock Incentive Plan), and (11)
PG&E Corporation's Form S-8 Registration Statement File No. 333-33657 (relating
to PG&E Gas Transmission, Texas Corporation Savings Fund Plan).

/s/ Arthur Anderson LLP
San Francisco, California
   March 4, 1998