"Sempra Energy and our subsidiaries are committed to being good corporate citizens and giving back to the communities we serve," said Neal Schmale, president and chief operating officer of Sempra Energy. "We’re also focused on meeting our customers’ current energy needs, while developing cleaner energy solutions and deploying more advanced technologies for the future. Our latest corporate responsibility report captures many of our efforts in these areas."
Highlights from the 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report include:
— Reduced power plant emissions rate: Sempra Energy companies have reduced their power plant carbon-dioxide emissions rate about 34 percent since 2005 to a level that is now 46 percent below the national average.
— Renewable power:Sempra Generation completed its first wind energy project and broke ground on the largest photovoltaic solar power project in the U.S.
— Groundbreaking energy-efficiency programs: In 2009, Sempra Energy’s California utilities — San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) — helped customers save enough natural gas to supply more than 49,000 homes and enough electricity to power approximately 82,000 homes for one year.
— Innovation: In 2009, SDG&E partnered with Nissan and ECOtality as part of the utility’s smart grid initiative to launch the largest transportation electrification project in U.S. history, making San Diego a national leader in clean transportation.
— Top company for diversity: More than 50 percent of Sempra Energy’s U.S. workforce is comprised of minorities and 31 percent are women, earning Sempra Energy honors in 2009 for leadership in diversity.
Sempra Energy also recently was ranked one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for excellence in seven categories, including environmental stewardship, climate change, human rights, employee relations, financial performance, philanthropy and corporate governance.
Sempra Energy’s 2009 corporate responsibility report is available online at: http://www.sempra.com/cr/6.htm.
Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2009 revenues of more than $8 billion. The Sempra Energy companies’ 13,800 employees serve more than 29 million consumers worldwide.
Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra Generation, Sempra LNG and RBS Sempra Commodities dba Sempra Energy Solutions and Sempra Energy Trading are not the same companies as the utility, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra Generation, Sempra LNG and RBS Sempra Commodities dba Sempra Energy Solutions and Sempra Energy Trading are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
Energía Sierra Juárez
Energía Sierra Juárez is a wind power project that represents Sempra Generation’s commitment to meeting energy needs in an environmentally responsible manner. Energía Sierra Juárez is a response to environmental public-policy initiatives and increasing demands for renewable energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In its first phase, the project would generate between approximately 100 megawatts (MW) and 125 MW of power from wind turbines to be installed in Ejido Jacumé near the Baja California town of La Rumorosa, about 70 miles east of San Diego and across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Potential future phases of Energía Sierra Juárez could grow to generate as much as 1,000 MW of clean wind energy and would be installed along the Sierra Juárez mountains. Energía Sierra Juárez is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sempra Generation.
The project is located along the Sierra Juárez mountains. The first wind farm will be located in the Ejido Jacumé north of the town of La Rumorosa, about 70 miles east of San Diego and across the U.S.-Mexico border.
First phase: 100 megawatts (MW) to 125 MW. Potential future phases could result in a total output of 1,000 MW. Wind turbines, each capable of generating approximately 1.5 MW to 3.0 MW. The project will tie into and connect with the existing Southwest Powerlink transmission line via a three-mile, cross border generator tie- line, to a new substation east of Jacumba that will be permitted, constructed and operated by San Diego Gas & Electric.
