Sempra Energy Reports Higher First-Quarter 2014 Earnings
Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) today reported first-quarter 2014 earnings of $247 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, compared with first-quarter 2013 earnings of $178 million, or $0.72 per diluted share.
Excluding a $9 million after-tax charge related to the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), Sempra Energy’s adjusted earnings were $256 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, in the first quarter 2014.
“We are seeing year-over-year earnings growth consistent with our expectations,” said Debra L. Reed, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy.
We are on track to meet our 2014 earnings guidance. Our Cameron LNG liquefaction-export project continues to make strong progress toward the start of construction later this year and we have several large projects in Mexico and Peru coming online in the second half of 2014.
Earlier this week, Cameron LNG received notice that it had completed the environmental review process with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Also, in March, Cameron LNG awarded a construction contract to a joint venture between CB&I and Chiyoda International Corp. Construction on the project is expected to begin later this year, with commercial operations slated to start in 2018.
CALIFORNIA UTILITIES
Southern California Gas Co.
Earnings for Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) increased to $78 million in the first quarter 2014 from $46 million in last year’s first quarter, due primarily to higher California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) base operating margin.
The CPUC General Rate Case decision was delayed until the second quarter last year, so neither SoCalGas nor San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) recorded revenue from that decision in the first quarter 2013.
San Diego Gas & Electric
First-quarter earnings for SDG&E were $99 million in 2014, compared with $91 million in 2013, due to improved CPUC base operating margin and the delay in the General Rate Case decision, offset by the $9 million SONGS charge.
On March 27, SDG&E and Southern California Edison announced that they reached a settlement agreement with key parties on the closure of SONGS. If approved by the CPUC, the agreement resolves all outstanding cost issues related to the plant closure and allows for recovery of replacement power costs, operating and maintenance expenses, and the companies’ non-steam generator replacement investment.
SEMPRA INTERNATIONAL
Sempra South American Utilities
Sempra South American Utilities had earnings of $35 million in the first quarter 2014, compared with $37 million in the first quarter 2013.
Sempra Mexico
Sempra Mexico’s earnings increased to $42 million in the first quarter 2014 from $31 million in last year’s first quarter, due primarily to regulatory earnings for pipeline projects under construction and lower income-tax expense.
On April 21, Sempra Energy’s Mexican subsidiary IEnova announced that it has finalized an agreement to sell InterGen 50 percent of the 155-megawatt Energía Sierra Juarez wind-generation project. The project, which has a 20-year power-purchase agreement with SDG&E, is expected to begin commercial operations in 2015.
SEMPRA U.S. GAS & POWER
Sempra Renewables
Sempra Renewables had first-quarter 2014 earnings of $28 million, compared with $4 million in the first quarter 2013, due primarily to the sale of a 50-percent equity interest in the Copper Mountain Solar 3 project.
Sempra Natural Gas
Earnings for Sempra Natural Gas were $9 million in the first quarter 2014, compared with $53 million in the first quarter 2013. In last year’s first quarter, Sempra Natural Gas recorded a $44 million gain related to the sale of half of the Mesquite Power natural gas-fired power plant.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
Adjusted first-quarter 2014 earnings and earnings per share are non-GAAP financial measures. Additional information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures is in the appendix on Table A of the first-quarter financial tables.
INTERNET BROADCAST
Sempra Energy will broadcast a live discussion of its earnings results over the Internet today at 1 p.m. EDT with senior management of the company. Access is available by logging onto the website at www.sempra.com. For those unable to log onto the live webcast, the teleconference will be available on replay a few hours after its conclusion by dialing (888) 203-1112 and entering passcode 2722529.
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