Sempra Energy
Encyclopedia
Sempra Energy is a Fortune 500
energy services
holding company
based in San Diego, California
. It divides its interests into two broad categories: Sempra Utilities, including Pacific Enterprises/Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric
; and Sempra Global, a holding company for businesses not subject to California utilities regulation, chiefly Sempra Commodities, Sempra Generation, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, and Sempra LNG.
For 2009, Sempra Energy reported $8.1 billion in revenue and 13,800 employees, serving about 25 million customers. It is the largest natural gas utility
in the United States
in terms of coverage area and population served, and is a major force in international natural gas
markets.
-based Pacific Enterprises, the parent company of Southern California Gas
, and Enova Corporation, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric
.
Sempra was sued over claims it manipulated natural gas supplies and electricity contracts during the 2001 California electricity crisis
. In 2006 the company agreed to pay $377 million to settle gas supply claims, and in 2010 another $410 million to settle claims on electricity price gouging
, but has never admitted wrongdoing.
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
energy services
Energy industry
The energy industry is the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution...
holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
based in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It divides its interests into two broad categories: Sempra Utilities, including Pacific Enterprises/Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric
San Diego Gas & Electric
San Diego Gas & Electric is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to San Diego County and southern Orange County in southwestern California, United States...
; and Sempra Global, a holding company for businesses not subject to California utilities regulation, chiefly Sempra Commodities, Sempra Generation, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, and Sempra LNG.
For 2009, Sempra Energy reported $8.1 billion in revenue and 13,800 employees, serving about 25 million customers. It is the largest natural gas utility
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in terms of coverage area and population served, and is a major force in international natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
markets.
History
Sempra Energy was created through the 1998 merger of Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based Pacific Enterprises, the parent company of Southern California Gas
Southern California Gas
Southern California Gas Company is the primary provider of natural gas to the region of Southern California. Its headquarters are located in Downtown Los Angeles.-Competition:...
, and Enova Corporation, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric
San Diego Gas & Electric
San Diego Gas & Electric is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to San Diego County and southern Orange County in southwestern California, United States...
.
Sempra was sued over claims it manipulated natural gas supplies and electricity contracts during the 2001 California electricity crisis
California electricity crisis
The California electricity crisis, also known as the Western U.S. Energy Crisis of 2000 and 2001 was a situation in which California had a shortage of electricity caused by market manipulations and illegal shutdowns of pipelines by Texas energy consortiums...
. In 2006 the company agreed to pay $377 million to settle gas supply claims, and in 2010 another $410 million to settle claims on electricity price gouging
Price gouging
Price gouging is a pejorative term referring to a situation in which a seller prices goods or commodities much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. In precise, legal usage, it is the name of a crime that applies in some of the United States during civil emergencies...
, but has never admitted wrongdoing.
Subsidiaries
- Pacific Enterprises -
- San Diego Gas & Electric -
- Sempra Generation operates or owns interest in power stationPower stationA power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
s in 5 U.S. states and in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, as well as property for potential solarSolar powerSolar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
and windWind powerWind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
electric generation. - Sempra Pipelines & Storage - owns natural gas storage facilities in Alabama and Louisiana and interests in two natural gas companies in Argentina, in Chilquinta Energía of Chile, and in Luz del SurLuz del SurLuz del Sur is a Peruvian utilty company involved in electric power distribution with more than 800 thousand customers in its 30 districts to grant the southeast of Lima....
of Peru. It also owns 1858 miles of distribution pipelines, 216 miles of transmission pipelines, and 2 compressor stations in Mexico. - Sempra LNG - develops, owns and operates receipt terminals for importing liquified natural gas to the U.S., including the Energía Costa Azul LNG terminal in Baja CaliforniaBaja CaliforniaBaja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
and the Cameron LNG terminal in Hackberry, LouisianaHackberry, LouisianaHackberry is a census-designated place in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,699 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hackberry is located at ....
. - Sempra Commodities - Sempra's stake in a partnership formed on April 1, 2008 to market and trade natural gas, natural gas liquids, power, petroleum and petroleum products, coal, emissions, ethanol and base metals. Royal Bank of Scotland Group sold its stake in RBS Sempra Commodities LLC to Noble Americas Gas and PowerNoble GroupNoble Group Limited is a global conglomerate manager of agricultural, industrial and energy products. Noble manages a diversified portfolio of essential raw materials, integrating the sourcing, marketing, processing, financing and transportation....
, as a condition of the UK Government's 74% stake in the Group on December 1, 2010.
See also
- El Dorado Solar Power PlantEl Dorado Solar Power PlantThe 10 megawatt El Dorado Solar Power Plant is a photovoltaic facility located in Boulder City, Nevada, completed in 2008.The power from El Dorado Solar Power Plant has been sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under separate 20-year contracts.-See also:* List of concentrating solar thermal power...
- North Baja PipelineNorth Baja PipelineThe North Baja Pipeline is an overall , bidirectional natural gas pipeline that can deliver gas from Arizona, through California, and into Mexico or from Mexico into the United States. The U.S. portion of the system is owned by TC Pipelines LP, and the Mexican portion is owned by Sempra Energy...
- Rockies Express PipelineRockies Express PipelineThe Rockies Express Pipeline is a long high-speed natural gas pipeline system from the Rocky Mountains, Colorado to eastern Ohio. The pipeline system consists of three sections running through eight states...