BOULDER CITY, Nev., March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Boulder City Mayor Roger Tobler today joined Sempra U.S. Gas & Power officials and community leaders to dedicate the state's newest solar energy project, the 92-megawatt (MW) first phase of the company's Copper Mountain Solar 2 facility in Boulder City.

Copper Mountain Solar 2 is one of the North America's largest photovoltaic (PV) solar plants.  When its second phase is completed in 2015, the project's total operating capacity will be 150 MW, or enough energy for 45,000 homes.

The first phase of construction of Copper Mountain Solar 2 began in December 2011 and created approximately 650 construction jobs.  The project employs 11 operators.

"Large-scale projects such as this shows that Nevada continues to be a leader in developing renewable energy and is another step towards making our state the western hub of renewable energy activity," Gov. Sandoval said. "With an abundance of sunshine in the Silver State, this project will harness the sunlight and turn it into clean electricity, while creating jobs for Nevadans.  I'm pleased to be a part of this dedication ceremony."

"Our hats off to the leadership in the state of Nevada," said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and CEO of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power.  "This state is a shining example of how a pro-growth business climate continues to attract clean energy investments.  Our success here today also reflects the vision and leadership of Pacific Gas & Electric, which stepped forward to procure the output of this facility for the next 25 years."

During the dedication, Martin announced the start of construction at Sempra U.S. Gas & Power's largest solar project, Copper Mountain Solar 3.  When completed in 2015, the project will be capable of generating 250 MW, or enough electricity to power about 80,000 homes. It will create an estimated 500 construction jobs and eight permanent positions. In all, Copper Mountain Solar 1, Copper Mountain Solar 2 and Copper Mountain Solar 3 will represent one of the largest solar power complexes in the U.S., capable of generating 458 MW.

Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC is a leading developer of renewable energy and natural gas solutions.  The company operates solar, wind and natural gas power plants that generate enough electricity for nearly 1 million homes, along with natural gas storage, pipelines and distribution utilities. The company is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2012 revenues of approximately $10 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies' nearly 17,000 employees serve more than 31 million consumers worldwide.  For more information, visit www.SempraUSGP.com.

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," "will," "would," "could," "should," "potential," "target," "outlook," "depends," "pursue" or similar expressions, or discussions of guidance, strategies, plans, goals, initiatives, objectives 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 and the timing of actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board, and other regulatory, governmental and environmental bodies in the United States and other countries where the company does business; capital market conditions, including the availability of credit and the liquidity of investments; inflation, interest and exchange rates; the impact of benchmark interest rates, generally the U.S. Treasury bond and Moody's A-rated utility bond yields, on the California utilities' cost of capital; the timing and success of business development efforts and construction, maintenance and capital projects, including risks inherent in the ability to obtain, and the timing of the granting of, permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations; energy markets, including the timing and extent of changes and volatility in commodity prices; the availability of electric power, natural gas and liquefied natural gas, including disruptions caused by failures in the North American transmission grid, pipeline explosions and equipment failures; weather conditions, natural disasters, catastrophic accidents, and conservation efforts; risks inherent in nuclear power generation and radioactive materials storage, including catastrophic release of such materials, the disallowance of the recovery of the investment in, or operating costs of, the generation facility due to an extended outage, and increased regulatory oversight; risks posed by decisions and actions of fourth parties who control the operations of investments in which the company does not have a controlling interest; wars, terrorist attacks and cyber security threats; business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements; expropriation of assets by foreign governments and title and other property disputes; the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery; the inability or determination not to enter into long-term supply and sales agreements or long-term firm capacity agreements; 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 free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on the company's website at www.sempra.com.

These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forecasts or projections or other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Sempra International, LLC, and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC, are not the same companies as San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and Sempra International, LLC and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.

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SOURCE Sempra U.S. Gas & Power