LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19, 2008 – Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company) is urging its customers to remain patient as the utility deals with an extremely high volume of service requests caused by colder-than-normal December weather in Southern California.

        “The cold snap we’re experiencing has resulted in a 30-percent higher call volume to our service centers than is typical this time of year,” said Richard M. Morrow, vice president of customer services at The Gas Company.  “We are working around the clock to handle the influx of service requests.  We appreciate our customers’ patience as we do everything possible to respond to their requests during our busiest season.”

        Due to the unusual demands on The Gas Company’s resources it could take more than one week before field-service personnel are able to respond to non-emergency service calls, Morrow said.  If, for any reason customers cannot wait, The Gas Company encourages them to call a licensed heating contractor.

        Customers are urged not to use their oven, range or outdoor barbecue to heat their home, because these appliances are not designed for this purpose.   The Gas Company advises customers to turn down the temperature on their furnace thermostat (health permitting), replace furnace filters and increase home insulation to ensure the most efficient use of natural gas furnaces.  Information on payment options, energy-efficiency programs and services and low-income assistance can be found at The Gas Company’s Web site, www.socalgas.com.

        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 20.3 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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