Sempra Generation completes sale of California power plant to Occidental Petroleum

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Sempra Generation

Sempra Energy

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         SAN DIEGO, Dec. 31, 2010 – Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:  SRE), today announced that it has completed the sale of its 50 percent interest in the Elk Hills Power generation facility to Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Inc. (NYSE: OXY) for a cash purchase price plus year-end cash distribution totaling $179 million.
 
        The 550-megawatt natural gas-fueled power plant, located near Bakersfield, Calif., has been owned by Sempra Generation and Oxy through a joint venture since 2003.
  
        “This strategic sale comes at the right time for Sempra Generation as we continue to invest heavily in our growing portfolio of alternative energy projects throughout the Western U.S.,” said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and chief executive officer of Sempra Generation.
 
        The transaction has received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
  
        Sempra Generation operates and maintains a fleet of natural gas-fueled power plants, and is a leading developer of solar and wind facilities that serve U.S. markets.  Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2009 revenues of more than $8 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies’ 13,600 employees serve about 25 million consumers worldwide.

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This press release contains statements that are not historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements can be identified by words like “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “may,” “would,” ”could,” “should,” or similar expressions, or discussions of strategies, plans or intentions.  Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance.  They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  Future results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon various assumptions involving judgments with respect to the future and other risks, including, among others: local, regional, national and international economic, competitive, political, legislative and regulatory conditions and developments; actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, California Department of Water Resources, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Reserve Board,  and other regulatory and governmental bodies in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries; capital market conditions and inflation, interest and exchange rates; energy and trading markets, including the timing and extent of changes and volatility in commodity prices; the availability of electric power, natural gas and liquefied natural gas; weather conditions and conservation efforts; war and terrorist attacks; business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements; the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery; the timing and success of business development efforts; the resolution of litigation; and other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the company.  These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that Sempra Energy has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  These reports are available through the EDGAR system without charge at the SEC’s Web site, www.sec.gov and on the company’s Web site, at www.sempra.com.

Sempra Generation is not the same company as the utility, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra Generation is not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.