Enova Corporation

Sempra
Company type	Public
Industry	Utility holding company
Founded	1998; 28 years ago
Headquarters	San Diego, California, United States
Area served	North America
Key people	Jeffrey Martin (Chairman and CEO)
Products	Electric and natural gas infrastructure services
Number of employees	20000+ (2023)
Website	sempra.com

Sempra is a publicly traded utility holding company based in San Diego, California, operating across North America. It ranks among the top utility holding companies in the United States, providing services to close to 40 million customers. The company’s primary emphasis lies in electric and natural gas infrastructure, managed through its subsidiaries: Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) in Southern California; Oncor Electric Delivery Company in Texas; along with Sempra Infrastructure, which operates within California and Texas.

By 2023, Sempra reported total assets exceeding $87.2 billion and employed over 20,000 individuals. The organization is led by chairman and CEO Jeffrey Martin, who assumed leadership in May 2018.

Sempra holds the #246 position on the 2024 Fortune 500 list and ranks #366 on the 2024 Forbes Global 2000. In 2024, Fortune recognized it as one of the World's Most Admired Companies for the fourteenth year running, while Newsweek included it among America's Most Responsible Companies for the sixth consecutive year.

1998–2018

Originally known as Sempra Energy, the company was created in 1998 through the merger of Pacific Enterprises, based in Los Angeles and owner of SoCalGas, with Enova Corporation, parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric.

In 1999, Sempra broadened its presence into Latin America by acquiring Chile’s Chilquinta Energia and Peru’s Luz Del Sur utilities.

By 2003, Sempra Energy Resources had completed construction of three advanced power generation facilities located in Arizona, California, and New Mexico.

During the California electricity crisis of 2001, Sempra faced allegations related to manipulation of natural gas supplies and electricity contracts. The company settled these claims by 2010 with payments totaling nearly $787 million, without admitting any wrongdoing.

The Sempra Foundation was established in 2007 to promote climate initiatives, economic development, diversity, and disaster relief efforts. Since its inception, it has invested more than $50 million and fosters employee participation through matching gift programs.

In 2018, Sempra made a significant entry into the Texas energy market when regulators approved its $9.45 billion acquisition of a majority interest in Oncor Electric Delivery Company.

2019–present

In January 2019, Sempra replaced Pacific Gas and Electric by joining the Dow Jones Utility Average.

Between 2018 and 2019, the company sold off its U.S.-based renewable energy assets and non-utility natural gas storage holdings for around $2.5 billion to concentrate on transmission and distribution infrastructure across North America.

In 2019, Sempra and Oncor expanded their Texas footprint by acquiring InfraREIT along with a half stake in Sharyland Utilities—key strategic moves aimed at growth within the state’s utility sector.

The year 2020 saw Sempra exit South America through sales of its Peruvian utility Luz del Sur for $3.59 billion and its Chilean operations to China’s State Grid International Development Ltd for $2.23 billion.

In 2021, the company shortened its name to Sempra to underscore its focus on core infrastructure businesses.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sempra Infrastructure secured contracts with European energy firms to supply U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), helping reduce dependence on Russian gas supplies.

In 2024, Sempra unveiled an unprecedented $48 billion capital investment plan for 2023–2028 aimed at improving safety, reliability, and clean energy delivery across its three growth platforms located in California and Texas.

Current

Sempra Infrastructure: Established in 2021 through the combination of Sempra LNG and IEnova, this entity focuses on developing, constructing, and investing in energy infrastructure across North America. Its portfolio includes liquefied natural gas (LNG), net-zero initiatives, energy transmission networks, and clean energy projects. Notable undertakings encompass the Cameron LNG joint venture in Louisiana, the Port Arthur LNG development in Texas, and three planned LNG export terminals along Mexico’s Pacific Coast: Energía Costa Azul LNG, Vista Pacífico LNG, and Salina Cruz.
Southern California Gas Company: Operating out of Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest natural gas distribution utility within the United States, serving nearly 22 million customers. The company is advancing hydrogen initiatives and net-zero goals, highlighted by the 2022 proposal of Angeles Link, which could become the nation’s largest green hydrogen infrastructure system.
San Diego Gas & Electric: Providing electric and natural gas services to roughly 3.7 million customers throughout San Diego and southern Orange Counties.
Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC: Based in Dallas, Oncor manages Texas’s most extensive electric transmission and distribution network, serving approximately 13 million customers. Sempra holds an indirect ownership stake of 80%. In 2019, Oncor expanded its transmission reach by acquiring InfraREIT, extending its operations across Central, North, and West Texas.

Former

Multiple subsidiaries were reorganized under Sempra LNG & Midstream and Sempra Renewables:

Sempra U.S. Gas & Power: Managed over 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity via affiliates and joint ventures; also oversaw natural gas storage facilities, pipelines, and utility operations.
Sempra Generation: Held ownership or operational interests in power plants located in five U.S. states and Mexico; possessed assets with potential for solar and wind energy development.
Sempra Pipelines & Storage: Controlled natural gas storage sites in Alabama and Louisiana; maintained equity stakes in energy firms across Argentina, Chile (Chilquinta Energía), and Peru (Luz del Sur); owned extensive pipeline infrastructure throughout Mexico.
Sempra LNG: Developed and operated LNG import terminals such as Energía Costa Azul in Baja California and Cameron LNG in Louisiana.
Sempra Commodities: Engaged in marketing and trading a broad range of energy commodities including natural gas, liquids, power, petroleum products, coal, emissions credits, ethanol, and base metals. Royal Bank of Scotland divested its interest to Noble Americas Gas and Power in 2010.
IEnova: Among Mexico’s leading private energy companies specializing in the development and operation of energy infrastructure.
PXiSE Energy Solutions: A San Diego-based firm partially owned by Mitsui & Co., focused on creating advanced power grid management technologies for renewable energy developers and grid operators; divested by Sempra in 2021.

Awards and recognition

In 2024, Sempra earned a spot on Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies list and was acknowledged by Newsweek as one of America's Most Responsible Companies. The company also featured on The Wall Street Journal's roster of the 250 Best-Managed Companies. It has received numerous honors for diversity and inclusion efforts, including placement on Bloomberg's Gender Equality Index, Forbes Best Employers for Diversity list, and Fair360's #1 Top Utilities ranking. Furthermore, Sempra is listed on sustainability-focused stock indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America. Its subsidiaries consistently receive accolades for excellence in reliability, technological innovation, leadership, and corporate social responsibility.

External links