Sempra Energy establishes a $5 million fund to assist Southern California wildfire victims and launches new foundation

On October 20, 2007, a series of wildfires erupted across seven Southern California counties that destroyed nearly 2,000 homes and burned over 500,000 acres of land stretching from Santa Barbara County down to the U.S.-Mexican border and south to Ensenada.

In response to these wildfires, which forced the evacuation of more than 500,000 people, Sempra Energy established a $5 million fund to assist fire victims and impacted local communities.

“For the more than 23 million Californians we serve and our 13,500 employees in the state, these wildfires have been devastating,” said Donald E. Felsinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra Energy. “We are committed to helping our customers, and the communities they live in, recover from this terrible natural disaster.”

Also in October, Sempra Energy launched its new private foundation – the Sempra Energy Foundation – a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego, California. As the Foundation’s first act of giving, the $5 million fund focusing on fire assistance grants to those with the greatest basic needs and on the replacement of lost infrastructure with a emphasis on environmental improvement during the rebuilding effort.

Starting in 2008, the Foundation will also broaden its areas of interest to include:

• Sustainability and the advancement of new environmental and energy technologies;
• Infrastructure development and improvement; and
• Support for people and communities in need.

For more information on the Sempra Energy Foundation or to get an application for the 2007 Fire Assistance fund, visit www.sempraenergyfoundation.org.