SAN DIEGO, March 21, 2006 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) with the Sustained Excellence 2006 Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency.  

        SDG&E received the EPA award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., today.

        An Energy Star partner, SDG&E is being honored for its long-term commitment to promoting the construction of new homes that meet EPA’s strict guidelines for energy-efficiency.   Energy Star homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling and water heating – homeowners can expect to save about $200 to $400 annually on their utility bills.

        The program, managed by SDG&E, Southern California Gas Co., Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison, provides builders with information on the benefits of energy-efficient homes plus, financial incentives for offering customers Energy Star homes.   Last year alone, with the help of Energy Star, Americans saved $12 billion nationwide on their energy bills and enough energy to power 28 million homes.  Additionally, through these savings, they avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 23 million vehicles.
 
        “For SDG&E, encouraging the construction of energy-efficient new homes that are good for the homeowner and beneficial to the environment continues to be a priority,” said Anne Smith, senior vice president, Customer Services for SDG&E.  “As an Energy Star partner for several years, we are pleased that our customers continue to embrace this valuable program.”

        The Sustained Excellence 2006 Award is given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year.   These Award winners are selected from thousands of organizations that participate in the Energy Star program.

        SDG&E’s contributions to the construction of energy-efficient homes help provide homeowners with quieter, more comfortable, and healthier homes, with significant utility savings.

        “Partners like SDG&E are national leaders in energy efficiency,” said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA’s Climate Protection Partnerships Division. “The Energy Star Sustained Excellence winners are true models for improving energy efficiency across the country.  They have shown year after year that energy efficiency is good for business and helps consumers save important resources, all while protecting the environment.”

        SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 825,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties.  The utility’s area spans 4,100 square miles.  Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region’s quality of life.  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. 

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