Sempra Energy International said it began construction on a23-mile, $35 million pipeline running from California to Mexicolast week, adding to the already-extensive activity the company isinvolved in south of the border. The 300 MMcf/d pipeline isscheduled to begin service to the Presidente Juarez power stationat Rosarito, Baja California by December.

The company plans to invest $1 billion in Mexican power projectsover the next 10 years with the overall goal of becoming the No. 1privately owned, fully integrated provider of energy services innorthern Mexico.

Including this project, Sempra International will service 125,000Mexican customers within the next five years, the companysaid. Earlier last week, The Mexican Energy Regulatory Commissionawarded Sempra the license to build and operate a gas distributionsystem in the La Laguna-Durango geographic zone of north-centralMexico (See Daily GPI, May 19). It alsohas gas distribution systems planned for the state of Chihuahua andfor Mexicali, Baja California.

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