ULUPALAKUA, Maui, Hawaii, Dec. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra U.S. Gas & Power and BP Wind Energy today announced the full commercial operation of the 21 megawatt (MW) Auwahi Wind facility.  The power project includes eight new wind turbines on the southeast ridge of Maui's Haleakala volcano.

"We are very pleased to complete construction of Auwahi Wind both on time and on budget," said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and CEO of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power. "The addition of new, clean energy from our project will be a boost for Maui's infrastructure and will help Hawaii achieve its goal of securing 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.  This project could not have been built without the enthusiastic support of the local community, the Ulupalakua Ranch and neighbors who recognize the importance of sustainable energy."

The power from Auwahi Wind has been sold to Maui Electric Company (MECO) under a 20-year contract.  The turbines will generate enough clean electricity to power about 10,000 typical Maui homes. An important component of the project is a 10 MW battery capable of storing 4.4 megawatt-hours of power.  Energy from the battery will help regulate and sustain power to the MECO grid during light wind conditions.  

"Innovation is a big part of what Sempra U.S. Gas & Power brings to all of our projects," Martin said.  "The battery storage component of Auwahi Wind includes state-of-the-art monitoring and safety controls which will help maximize the benefit that the Maui Electric Company and its customers receive from this project."

Construction of the wind farm on Ulupalakua Ranch began in March 2012, and involved more than 180 workers. Auwahi Wind will employ four full-time employees.

"It was just seven months ago that the groundbreaking for Auwahi Wind was held and today we're celebrating its completion," said Hawaii Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz.  "What a great way to end a banner year for wind energy in Hawaii.  This project is an important step toward energy self-sufficiency and has the added benefit of helping Ulupalakua remain financially viable and preserve a ranching lifestyle on Maui and protect open space and habitat for native plants and animals.  It's not every day that we celebrate a success like this so it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Sempra, BP Wind, Ulupalakua Ranch and MECO for their commitment to seeing this project through to completion."

"Today marks an important step for the state of Hawaii as it increases its energy independence," said John Graham, president & CEO of BP Wind Energy.  "Wind power is a key component of delivering a diverse and adequate energy supply and BP is proud to have partnered with Sempra U.S. Gas & Power to make the Auwahi Wind Farm project a reality." 

"BP and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power have been terrific partners," said Sumner Erdman, president of Ulupalakua Ranch.  "The Auwahi project protects the environment, maximizes wind as a renewable energy resource and allows us to maintain the rural open space and grazing areas necessary for us to raise our cattle."

About BP
BP has invested more in the United States over the last five years than any other oil and gas company.  With more than $52 billion in capital spending between 2007 and 2011, BP invests more in the U.S. than in any other country.  The company is the second largest producer of oil and gas in the U.S., a major oil refiner and a leader in alternative energy sources including wind power and biofuels.  BP provides enough energy each year to light the entire country.  With 23,000 U.S. employees, BP supports nearly a quarter of a million domestic jobs through its business activities. For more information, visit www.bp.com.

Since 2005, BP Alternative Energy has invested around $8 billion in alternative energy development, with more than $4 billion invested in the U.S. BP Wind Energy is a principal owner and operator of wind power facilities in the U.S. with interests in 16 wind farms across nine states.  BP Wind Energy has a gross generating capacity of nearly 2,000 MW – enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 average American homes. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.bpalternativenergy.com.

About Sempra U.S. Gas & Power
Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC is a leading developer of renewable energy and natural gas solutions.  The company operates solar, wind and natural gas power plants that generate enough electricity for nearly 1 million homes, along with natural gas storage and pipelines and distribution utilities. Sempra U.S. Gas & Power is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2011 revenues of $10 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies' nearly 17,500 employees serve about 31 million consumers worldwide.  For more information, visit www.SempraUSGP.com.

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," "outlook," "depends," "pursue" or similar expressions, or discussions of guidance, strategies, plans, goals, initiatives, objectives 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 and the timing of actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board, and other regulatory, governmental and environmental bodies in the United States and other countries where the company does business; capital market conditions, including the availability of credit and the liquidity of investments; inflation, interest and exchange rates; the impact of benchmark interest rates, generally the U.S. Treasury bond and Moody's A-rated utility bond yields, on the California utilities' cost of capital; the timing and success of business development efforts and construction, maintenance and capital projects, including risks inherent in the ability to obtain, and the timing of the granting of, permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations; 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, including disruptions caused by failures in the North American transmission grid, pipeline explosions and equipment failures; weather conditions, natural disasters, catastrophic accidents, and conservation efforts; risks inherent in nuclear power generation and radioactive materials storage, including catastrophic release of such materials, the disallowance of the recovery of the investment in, or operating costs of, the generation facility due to an extended outage, and increased regulatory oversight; risks posed by decisions and actions of third parties who control the operations of investments in which the company does not have a controlling interest; wars, terrorist attacks and cyber security threats; business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements; expropriation of assets by foreign governments and title and other property disputes; the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery; the inability or determination not to enter into long-term supply and sales agreements or long-term firm capacity agreements; 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.

These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forecasts or projections or other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Sempra International, LLC, and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC, are not the same companies as San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and Sempra International, LLC and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. Sempra International's underlying entities include Sempra Mexico and Sempra South American Utilities. Sempra U.S. Gas & Power's underlying entities include Sempra Renewables and Sempra Natural Gas.

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