LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2009 – Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company) has earned the top customer satisfaction ranking among natural gas utilities in the Western United States and has the highest score among all utilities nationwide, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM.   
      
        The study is based on a random survey of U.S. residential natural gas utility customers.

        “To be recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for customer satisfaction is a tribute to the outstanding commitment of our employees to meet our customers’ needs every day,” said Debra L. Reed, president and chief executive officer of The Gas Company.

        In the study, The Gas Company received a customer-satisfaction score of 671, the highest score among all natural gas utilities, and the highest score among the 15 utilities surveyed in the western region.  The J.D. Power and Associates study ranks 75 of the nation’s largest natural gas utilities, and this year interviewed more than 54,000 customers.  The scores for each utility are based on six factors: billing and payment; price; corporate citizenship; communications; customer service; and field service.

        Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years.  It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500 communities.  The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.  The Gas Company is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).  Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.  

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