SAN DIEGO, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Generation's Copper Mountain Solar 1 has been named a Renewable Top Plant by POWER Magazine, ranking it among the top renewable power installations completed worldwide in the past year.

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Located in Boulder City, Nev., Copper Mountain Solar 1 is currently the largest photovoltaic solar power installation in the U.S.  Construction on a 150-megawatt expansion of the facility is expected to begin in early 2012.

"It is an honor to be recognized by POWER Magazine, especially given the number of impressive renewable projects that have recently been developed across the globe," said Jim Sahagian, vice president of commercial development for Sempra Generation. "It's exciting to be at the forefront of the rapidly evolving solar industry and demonstrate that this technology can play a major role in meeting the growing demand for clean sources of power." 

Sempra Generation is a leading developer of utility-scale solar projects with a development pipeline that exceeds 1,300 MW.  In August 2011, the company received the Solar Energy Industries Association's Solar Champion Award in the Project Developer category for its contribution to expanding the use of solar power in America.   

POWER Magazine provides business and technology coverage of the worldwide power generation industry.  For more than four decades, the company has honored electricity generation top performers.

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