Diego

The energy services unit in San Diego-based Sempra Energy’s merchant energy businesses announced Monday it has a four-year deal to supply natural gas and related services to Caterpillar Inc.’s manufacturing locations in Illinois and its logistics services operations. Sempra said terms of the contract were not disclosed.

San Diego-based Sempra Energy’s international unit was busy Thursday pushing and pulling in Latin America, trying to make things happen in its aggressive game plan south of the border.

Sempra Energy Trading, the wholesale commodity trading arm of San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy, announced last week that it inked a deal to buy New York-based Enron Metals & Commodity Corp. for $43.5 million in cash. Acquisition of the Enron company, a leading global trader of copper, lead and zinc concentrates, is subject to the approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.

Following through on expressions of interest in recent weeks, San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy’s trading unit announced Tuesday it has purchased London, UK-based Enron Metals Ltd. for $145 million, subject to a final audit of the net assets. The deal for the leading metals trader on the London Metals Exchange (LME) is expected to be completed Monday (Feb. 4, 2002), Sempra said.

San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy last week reported unaudited 2001 earnings of $518 million, or $2.52/diluted share, compared to $429 million, or $2.06/diluted share in 2000, a 22% increase, including a bigger share from its nonutility companies. Revenues were $8 billion for the full year in 2001, compared with $7 billion the previous year — a 14% rise.

San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy Thursday reported unaudited 2001 earnings of $518 million, or $2.52/diluted share, compared to $429 million, or $2.06/diluted share in 2000, a 22% increase, including a bigger share from its nonutility companies. Revenues were $8 billion for the full year in 2001, compared with $7 billion the previous year — a 14% rise.

Surpassing the Tcf milestone again, San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. utility unit racked up all-time records for sendout, receipts and storage in 2001, establishing new standards for its 135-year history. And this year, its officials estimate it will take more of the 12 months to fully implement the state-approved settlement for future unbundling of its in-state transmission and underground storage operations, making them closer to what happens on the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. natural gas system in the northern half of the state.

Los Angeles County, a multi-million-dollar annual electricity and natural gas consumer, has sued San Diego-based Sempra Energy and one of its two major utility distribution companies, Southern California Gas Co., for unspecified monetary damages, alleging the companies were part of a massive conspiracy to drive up natural gas and electricity costs that ultimately will cost taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to a recent report in the Los Angeles Daily News, which includes a strong denial from the companies.

Los Angeles County, a multi-million-dollar annual electricity and natural gas consumer, has sued San Diego-based Sempra Energy and one of its two major utility distribution companies, Southern California Gas Co., for unspecified monetary damages, alleging the companies were part of a massive conspiracy to drive up natural gas and electricity costs that ultimately will cost taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to a report Sunday in the Los Angeles Daily News, which includes a strong denial from the companies.