SAN DIEGO, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Generation has received the 2011 Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Champion Award in the Project Developer category.  The national recognition is based on the significant impact the company has made over the last year in "helping build a strong solar industry to power America, and contributing to the industry goal of achieving 10 gigawatts of new annual installed capacity by 2015."

The award was announced at the Solar Power International 2011 conference, which is currently underway in Dallas.

"We are truly honored to be recognized by the Solar Energy Industries Association, which is leading the way to advance and grow the U.S. solar industry," said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and chief executive officer of Sempra Generation. "Solar power is positively impacting communities and local economies across the country, and we are excited to have the opportunity to support America's transition to a cleaner energy future."  

Sempra Generation is a leading developer of utility-scale solar projects in the U.S.  The company operates the 48-megawatt (MW) Copper Mountain Solar 1 project in Boulder City, Nev., which is currently the largest photovoltaic solar plant in the U.S.  Construction is expected to begin on a 150-MW expansion of this landmark solar installation in 2012.  The company also recently broke ground on its 150-MW Mesquite Solar 1 project in Arizona, with completion anticipated in 2013.  

"Innovative utility-scale solar project developers are a key piece of the industry's vision of installing 10 gigawatts of solar each year by 2015," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of Solar Energy Industries Association. "Sempra Generation is helping the utility-scale market make significant strides in meeting that goal to power two million more homes year in and year out with clean, reliable solar energy." 

Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry.  Working with its 1,000 member companies, the organization is helping to grow and advance the solar industry through advocacy, policy development and education on the benefits of solar energy.

About Sempra Generation

Sempra Generation operates and maintains natural gas-fueled power plants, and is a leading developer of solar and wind facilities that serve U.S. markets.  Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2010 revenues of $9 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies' nearly 17,500 employees serve about 31 million consumers worldwide.

This press release contains statements that are not historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by words like "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "potential," "target," "depends," or similar expressions, or discussions of strategies, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Future results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon various assumptions involving judgments with respect to the future and other risks, including, among others: local, regional, national and international economic, competitive, political, legislative and regulatory conditions and developments; actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, California Department of Water Resources, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Reserve Board, and other regulatory and governmental bodies in the United States and other countries where the company does business; capital market conditions and inflation, interest and exchange rates; energy markets, including the timing and extent of changes and volatility in commodity prices; the availability of electric power, natural gas and liquefied natural gas; weather conditions and conservation efforts; war and terrorist attacks; business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements; the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery; the timing and success of business development efforts; the resolution of litigation; and other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the company. These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that Sempra Energy has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on the company's website at www.sempra.com.

Sempra Generation is not the same company as the utility, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra Generation is not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.

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SOURCE Sempra Generation