SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3, 2011 – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has called for temporary natural gas curtailments that could affect as many as 88 commercial/industrial customers in San Diego County.  No residential SDG&E natural gas customers will be affected by these natural gas curtailments.  SDG&E has 845,000 natural gas customers in its service territory.

SDG&E is monitoring the natural gas system situation very closely and is in close contact with pipeline operators and suppliers.  The company is calling for both natural gas and electricity conservation as long as the gas curtailment is in effect.

The cold weather conditions in Texas and southern Rocky Mountain natural gas producing regions have forced major natural gas pipelines, including El Paso Natural Gas Company and Transwestern Pipeline, to declare emergency critical operating conditions. The El Paso emergency can be accessed on their website: http://passport.elpaso.com/EpngPortal/

The customers affected by these curtailments are large natural gas customers, such as power plants and commercial and industrial facilities, who have signed agreements that require that they cut their natural gas use should supplies run low. 
 
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