SAN DIEGO, Nov. 11, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today announced it will receive the Utility Market Access Partnership Utility Leadership Award Nov. 14 at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' (NARUC) annual conference in Palm Springs, Calif.
California Public Utilities Commission President Michael R. Peevey cited the following examples of SDG&E's diverse business program and leadership as a basis for the award:
-- The utility is an active supporter of the original Department of
Energy/NARUC Minority Business Roundtable;
-- The number of diverse businesses serving SDG&E has grown to more
than 20 percent of the utility's supplier base since 1993;
-- SDG&E created a $1 billion funds transfer agreement to support
diverse business suppliers; and,
-- The utility consistently has provided overall leadership in
promoting diversity objectives.
"Supporting a diverse supply chain makes good business sense, plus it's the right thing to do, reflecting the communities we serve," said Debra L. Reed, president and chief operating officer of SDG&E.
"With exemplary management, SDG&E has become a recognized national leader in supplier and workforce diversity," said Peevey.
"Since the inception of the Department of Energy's Minority Business Roundtable in 1994, through the initiative's evolution into today's access partnership, SDG&E has promoted diverse business objectives. In fact, the utility's parent company, Sempra Energy consistently ranks among the top five on Fortune magazine's annual list of 'America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities.'"
In 2004, NARUC passed a resolution and standards to promote utility procurement with women, minority and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, or diverse suppliers. SDG&E helped formalize the volunteer supplier diversity program nationwide by authoring the national utility supplier diversity policy adopted by the organization.
"We are serious about mentoring and development of diverse suppliers nationwide and are proud of spending 24 percent -- or nearly $200 million in goods and services and another $400 million in natural gas purchases in 2004 -- of our total expenditures with diverse suppliers," said Frank Urtasun, director of diverse business enterprises for SDG&E.
NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889. Its members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate the activities of telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC's mission is to serve the public interest by improving the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.3 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 800,000 natural gas meters. The company's service territory encompasses 4,100 square miles in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.