SAN JOSE — PG&E is focusing expansion and upgrade plans in the San Jose area as officials predict the South Bay’s need for electricity will far outstrip a projected jump in demand within its service territory, the investor-owned utility’s chief executive said in a wide-ranging interview.

For PG&E, San Jose offers a confluence of land and demand. The city has plenty of available open space for a tech industry whose thirst for energy has soared.

“San Jose is very important because it has room to grow,” PG&E Chief Executive Officer Patricia Poppe told this news organization. “There is demand from tech companies to grow here.”

Oakland-based PG&E is already planning upgrades at two key substations in downtown San Jose — at Substation A at the corner of South Montgomery Street and Otterson S

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