SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2006 – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today announced that it has purchased 20 megawatts (MW) of geothermal electricity from Esmeralda Truckhaven Geothermal LLC, to begin delivery in 2010.

        “This contract is another step in our aggressive efforts to meet our goal of supplying 20 percent of our customers’ electricity needs by 2010 with renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal power,” said Terry Farrelly, vice president of electric and gas procurement for SDG&E.  “We are negotiating to buy even more renewable energy and will be announcing other contracts later this year.”
Geothermal energy production involves using heat from beneath the earth’s surface to generate electricity and provide heat.  The Esmeralda facility, at its Juan Bautista de Anza
       
        Geothermal Project, will be located in Imperial County west of the Salton Sea.   Geothermal energy is considered a green technology because of its minimal environmental impacts and renewability from the heat of the earth.   Geothermal is also the most prolific power generator of all renewable sources, producing energy 24 hours a day.
       
        The 15-year contract will provide approximately 1 percent toward SDG&E’s 2010 renewables goal.

        Jack McNamara, the manager of Esmeralda Truckhaven, said, “We look forward to working with SDG&E to meet its 20 percent renewable goal in 2010 and higher renewable goals going forward.”

        SDG&E has announced a series of renewables contracts for the last several years and has more than 12 percent of its customers’ energy needs under contract.  The resources include wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and biogas contracts.

        Esmeralda Truckhaven is a California limited liability company, whose sole member is Esmeralda Energy Company, a Nevada corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Geo-Energy Partners-1983 Ltd., a major geothermal leaseholder. Esmeralda Energy Company is also currently carrying out exploration at its Emigrant Geothermal Project site in concert with the U.S. Department of Energy’s GRED III program.  To learn more, please email Mr. McNamara at greenpower@veawb-coop.com. 

        San Diego Gas & Electric is a full-service energy utility that has been supplying natural gas and electric service to the San Diego region since 1881.  SDG&E currently serves 3.4 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 825,000 natural gas meters.  The utility’s service area spans 4,100 square miles and serves customers in more than 125 communities from Southern Orange County to the Mexican border. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE).  Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.  To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.

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