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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-176855

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated September 15, 2011)

 

$                         % Notes due 2022

 

 

We are offering $         of our     % Notes due 2022 (the “notes”). The notes will bear interest at the rate of     % per year and mature on                     , 2022. Interest on the notes will accrue from September     , 2012 and will be payable on              and              of each year, beginning on                     , 2013. At our option, we may redeem some or all of the notes at any time at the redemption prices described in this prospectus supplement. The notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank on a parity in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See the “Risk Factors” section on page S-5 of this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

		Per Note				Total
Public Offering Price (1)			%			$
Underwriting Discount			%			$
Proceeds to Sempra Energy (before expenses) (1)			%			$

 

 

(1)

Plus accrued interest from September     , 2012 if settlement occurs after that date.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We expect the notes will be ready for delivery through The Depository Trust Company on or about September     , 2012.

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.		RBC Capital Markets		UBS Investment Bank

 

 

September     , 2012

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This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of the offering of the notes and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information, some of which does not apply to the notes. If the description of the notes or the offering of the notes varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, in the accompanying prospectus and in any related free writing prospectus issued by us. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any such free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on their respective covers and that the information contained in documents incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

The distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the offering of the notes in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any such free writing prospectus come should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any such free writing prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. See “Underwriting.”

 

 

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Forward-Looking Statements			S-1
Summary Information			S-3
Risk Factors			S-5
Use of Proceeds			S-5
Ratio of Earnings To Fixed Charges			S-5
Description of the Notes			S-6
Material United States Federal Tax Considerations			S-9
Underwriting			S-14
Legal Matters			S-16
Experts			S-16
PROSPECTUS
About This Prospectus			1
Forward-Looking Statements			2
Where You Can Find More Information			3
Sempra Energy			5
Risk Factors			6
Use of Proceeds			7
Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends			8
Description of Common Stock			9
Description of Debt Securities			10
Plan of Distribution			23
Legal Matters			24
Experts			24

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents they incorporate by reference contain, and any related free writing prospectus issued by us may contain, statements that are not historical fact and constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When we use words like “estimates,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “intends,” “depends,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “will,” “potential,” “target,” “pursue,” “goals,” or similar expressions, or when we discuss our guidance, strategy, plans, goals, initiatives, objectives or intentions, we are making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our future results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other factors. These 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 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 in which we operate;

 

•

capital markets conditions, including the availability of credit and the liquidity of our investments;

 

•

inflation, interest and exchange rates;

 

•

the impact of benchmark interest rates, generally U.S. Treasury bond and Moody’s A-rated utility bond yields, on our 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 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 the 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 we do not have a controlling interest;

 

•

wars, terrorist attacks and cybersecurity threats;

 

•

business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements;

 

•

expropriation of assets by foreign governments and title and other property disputes;

 

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•

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 our control.

We caution you not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in more detail under “Risk Factors,” “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in our reports and other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You may obtain copies of these documents as described under “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in the notes involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC subsequent to our most recently completed fiscal year and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, before acquiring any of such notes. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the notes. See also “Forward-Looking Statements.”

USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds of approximately $         million (after deducting the underwriting discount but before deducting our estimated offering expenses) from the sale of the notes for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of commercial paper bearing interest at rates less than 1%. We estimate that the expenses for this offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $250,000.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the five years in the period ended December 31, 2011 and for the six months ended June 30, 2012.

 

		Six Months   Ended June 30, 2012				Years Ended December 31,
						2011				2010				2009				2008				2007
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges			2.99				4.22				3.48				3.94				3.80				4.63

We determined the ratio of earnings to fixed charges by dividing (a) the sum of pretax income (excluding undistributed income of equity investees, preferred dividends of subsidiaries and capitalized interest) and fixed charges by (b) fixed charges consisting of all interest expense (before allowances for borrowed funds used during construction), preferred dividends of subsidiaries, one-third of rent expense (which approximates the interest component of such expense) and amortization of debt issuance costs.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The notes will be a series of our senior debt securities issued under an indenture between Sempra Energy, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. In this section and under the caption “Description of Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus, references to “Sempra Energy,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “the Company” mean Sempra Energy excluding, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, its subsidiaries.

The summary of selected provisions of the notes and the indenture appearing below supplements, and to the extent inconsistent supersedes and replaces, the description of the general terms and provisions of the senior debt securities and the indenture contained in the accompanying prospectus. This summary is not complete and is qualified by reference to provisions of the notes and the indenture. Forms of the notes and the indenture have been or will be filed with the SEC and you may obtain copies as described under “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus.

Interest Rate and Maturity

The notes will bear interest at the rate of     % per year computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Interest on the notes will accrue from September     , 2012 and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on              and              of each year, beginning on                     , 2013, to the holders of record at the close of business on the immediately preceding              and             , respectively.

The notes will mature on September     , 2022. The notes are subject to earlier redemption at our option as described under “—Optional Redemption.”

If any interest payment date, redemption date or the maturity date of the notes is not a business day at any place of payment, then payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest may be made on the next business day at that place of payment. In that case, no interest will accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after the applicable interest payment date, redemption date or maturity date, as the case may be.

Ranking

The notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank on a parity in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The notes will rank senior to all of our existing and future indebtedness, if any, that is subordinated to the notes. The notes will be effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we may incur (to the extent of the collateral securing that indebtedness). The notes are our obligations exclusively, and are not the obligations of any of our subsidiaries. Because we conduct our operations primarily through our subsidiaries and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries, the notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries. At June 30, 2012, our subsidiaries had total consolidated liabilities of $20.2 billion, including $2.1 billion owed to us. See “Description of Debt Securities—Holding Company Structure” in the accompanying prospectus.

Optional Redemption

We will be entitled to redeem the notes at our option as described below.

Prior to                     ,             , all or a portion of the notes may be redeemed at our option at any time or from time to time at a redemption price for any redemption date equal to the greater of the following amounts:

 

•

100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed on that redemption date; or

 

•

the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes being redeemed on that redemption date (not including any portion of any payments of interest accrued to the redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus                      basis points, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker (as defined below),

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to be redeemed to the redemption date.

 

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On and after                     ,             , we may redeem all or any part of the notes, at our option at any time or from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on the notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on that interest payment date to the registered holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the notes and the indenture. The redemption price will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means, with respect to any redemption date, the United States Treasury security selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed on such redemption date that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such notes.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date or (B) if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is received, such quotation.

“Independent Investment Banker” means, with respect to any redemption date, one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by us to act as the “Independent Investment Banker.”

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) Goldman, Sachs & Co., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and UBS Securities LLC (or their respective affiliates which are Primary Treasury Dealers (as defined below)), and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), we will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (B) any other Primary Treasury Dealer(s) selected by us.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by us, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to us by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the third business day preceding such redemption date. As used in the preceding sentence, “business day” means any day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banking institutions in The City of New York are not authorized or obligated by law or executive order to remain closed.

We will mail notice of any redemption at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each registered holder of the notes to be redeemed. Once notice of redemption is mailed, the notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the redemption date at the applicable redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, and will be paid upon surrender thereof for redemption. If only part of a note is redeemed, the trustee will deliver a new note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the principal of the note surrendered for redemption. If we elect to redeem all or a portion of the notes, that redemption will not be conditional upon receipt by the paying agent or the trustee of monies sufficient to pay the redemption price.

Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

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Events of Default

An “event of default” occurs with respect to the notes if:

 

(a)

we do not pay any interest on any note within 30 days of the due date;

 

(b)

we do not pay any principal of or premium, if any, on any note on the due date;

 

(c)

we remain in breach of any other covenant or warranty (excluding covenants and warranties solely applicable to another series of debt securities issued under the indenture) in the indenture or the notes for 60 days after we are given a written notice of default stating we are in breach and requiring remedy of the breach; the notice must be sent by either the trustee or registered holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of the outstanding notes; or

 

(d)

we file for bankruptcy or other specified events in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or reorganization of us occur.

No event of default with respect to the notes necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any other series issued under the indenture.

The terms of approximately $4.55 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding senior debt securities that we previously issued under the indenture (the “prior debt securities”) include a so-called “cross-default” event of default, which would occur, in general, upon our failure to pay when due, or the acceleration of, certain threshold amounts of our debt of at least $25 million or, in the case of the cross-default event of default applicable to certain prior debt securities, $100 million. The notes offered hereby do not include a cross-default event of default. Accordingly, the principal of and interest on the prior debt securities may be declared due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of a cross-default event of default, while the holders of the notes will not be entitled to accelerate the notes as a result of such event.

Other

The notes will not be subject to a sinking fund or entitled to any guarantees and you will not be permitted to require us to redeem or repurchase the notes at your option.

We will pay principal of and premium, if any, on the notes at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, upon presentation of the notes at the office of the trustee, as our paying agent. In our discretion, we may appoint one or more additional paying agents and security registrars and designate one or more additional places for payment and for registration of transfer, but we must at all times maintain a place of payment of the notes and a place for registration of transfer of the notes in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

We may, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of the notes, increase the principal amount of the notes under the indenture and issue such increased principal amount (or any portion thereof), in which case any additional notes so issued shall have the same form and terms (other than offering price, the date of issuance and, under certain circumstances, the date from which interest thereon shall begin to accrue and the first interest payment date), and shall carry the same right to receive accrued and unpaid interest, as the notes previously issued and such additional notes shall form a single series with the notes offered by this prospectus supplement, provided that such additional notes shall be fungible with the notes offered by this prospectus supplement for United States federal income tax purposes.

The notes initially will be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global securities deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, as Depositary, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., its nominee. This means that you will not be entitled to receive a certificate for the notes that you purchase except in limited circumstances set forth in the indenture. The notes will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons, in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. We expect that payments due on notes in book-entry form will be paid by wire transfer of funds to the Depositary or its nominee.

 

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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating thereto. This summary is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, each as of the date hereof. These authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in United States federal income tax consequences different from those set forth below. We have not sought any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This summary is limited to holders who purchase the notes upon their initial issuance at their initial issue price (which will equal the first price at which a substantial amount of notes is sold to the public for cash) and who hold the notes as capital assets (generally, property held for investment). This summary does not address United States federal tax laws other than income tax laws, and it does not address tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction. In addition, this discussion does not address all tax considerations that may be applicable to a holder’s particular circumstances or to holders that may be subject to special tax rules, including, without limitation:

 

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holders subject to the alternative minimum tax;

 

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banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions;

 

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tax-exempt organizations;

 

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regulated investment companies or real estate investment trusts;

 

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dealers in securities or commodities;

 

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traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings;

 

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foreign persons or entities (except to the extent specifically set forth below);

 

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S-corporations, partnerships or other pass-through entities;

 

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expatriates and certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

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“U.S. holders” (as defined below) whose “functional currency” is not the United States dollar;

 

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persons who hold the notes as a position in a hedging transaction, “straddle,” “conversion transaction” or other risk reduction transaction; or

 

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persons deemed to sell the notes under the constructive sale provisions of the Code.

If a partnership (or other entity taxable as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our notes, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes.

THIS SUMMARY OF CERTAIN MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES ARISING UNDER OTHER UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX RULES OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN OR OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.

 

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Consequences to U.S. Holders

The following is a summary of certain material United States federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a U.S. holder (as defined below) of the notes. Certain consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the notes are described under “—Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders” below. The term “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of a note that is:

 

•

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

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a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

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an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

•

a trust that (i) is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more United States persons or (ii) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.

Payments of Interest

You generally will be required to recognize any stated interest as ordinary income at the time it is paid or accrued on the notes in accordance with your regular method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption or Other Taxable Disposition of Notes

You generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, exchange, redemption or other taxable disposition of a note in an amount equal to the difference between (i) the sum of cash plus the fair market value of all other property received on such disposition (except to the extent such cash or property is attributable to accrued but unpaid interest not previously included in income, which generally will be taxable as ordinary income) and (ii) your adjusted tax basis in the note. Your adjusted tax basis in a note generally will equal the amount you paid for the note. Under current law, if you are a non-corporate U.S. holder, including an individual, and have held the note for more than one year at the time of disposition, such capital gain generally will be subject to tax at a maximum rate of 15%, which maximum tax rate currently is scheduled to increase to 20% for dispositions occurring during taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Your ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Payments of interest and principal on notes held by U.S. holders and the proceeds received upon the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition of such notes may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding. Payments to certain holders (including, among others, certain tax-exempt organizations) are generally not subject to information reporting or backup withholding. If you are a U.S. holder and you are not otherwise exempt, payments to you will be subject to backup withholding if:

 

•

you fail to furnish your taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), which, for an individual, is ordinarily his or her social security number, in the manner required by the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations;

 

•

we or our agent (or other payor) are notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the TIN you furnished is incorrect;

 

•

there has been a “notified payee underreporting” with respect to interest or dividends paid to you, as described in the Code; or

 

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you have failed to certify under penalty of perjury that you have furnished a correct TIN and that you are not subject to backup withholding under the Code.

 

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You should consult your tax advisor regarding your qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and information reporting and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption, if applicable. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and you may use amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules as a credit against your United States federal income tax liability or may claim a refund as long as you provide the required information to the Internal Revenue Service in a timely manner.

Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

The following is a summary of certain material United States federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a non-U.S. holder of notes. The term “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of a note that is not a partnership (or other entity taxable as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) or a U.S. holder.

Special rules may apply to certain non-U.S. holders such as “controlled foreign corporations” and “passive foreign investment companies.” Such entities should consult their tax advisors to determine the United States federal, state, local and other tax consequences that may be relevant to them.

Payments of Interest

The 30% United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any payment to you of interest on a note provided that such interest is not effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business and:

 

•

you do not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote;

 

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you are not a “controlled foreign corporation” with respect to which we are, directly or indirectly, a “related person”;

 

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you are not a bank receiving interest pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of your trade or business; and

 

•

(a) you provide your name and address, and certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are not a United States person (which certification may be made on an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or successor form)) or (b) a securities clearing organization, bank, or other financial institution that holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its business holds the note on your behalf and certifies, under penalties of perjury, that it has received Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN from you or from another qualifying financial institution intermediary, and, in certain circumstances, provides a copy of the Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN. If you hold your notes through certain foreign intermediaries or certain foreign partnerships, such foreign intermediaries or partnerships must also satisfy the certification requirements of applicable Treasury Regulations.

If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, you will be subject to the 30% United States federal withholding tax with respect to payments of interest on the notes, unless you provide us with a properly executed (1) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or successor form) claiming an exemption from or reduction in withholding under the benefit of an applicable United States income tax treaty or (2) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or successor form) stating that the interest paid on the note is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States.

If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest on a note is effectively connected with your conduct of that trade or business (and, if an income tax treaty applies, such interest is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States), you will be subject to United States federal income tax on that interest on a net income basis (although you will be exempt from the 30% withholding tax, provided the certification requirements described above are satisfied) in the same manner as if you were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may

 

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be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) of your earnings and profits for the taxable year, subject to adjustments, that are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States. For this purpose, interest will be included in the earnings and profits of such foreign corporation.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption or Other Taxable Disposition of Notes

Any gain realized upon the sale, exchange, redemption or other taxable disposition of a note (other than any amount allocable to accrued and unpaid interest, which will be taxable as interest and may be subject to the rules discussed above in “—Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Payments of Interest”) generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax unless:

 

•

that gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if an income tax treaty applies, such gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States); or

 

•

you are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met.

If your gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business (and, if an income tax treaty applies, such gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States), you generally will be subject to United States federal income tax on the net gain derived from the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition in the same manner as if you were a United States person (as defined under the Code). If you are a corporation, any such effectively connected gain received by you may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to the branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or such lower rate as may be prescribed under an applicable United States income tax treaty). If you are described in the second bullet point above, you will be subject to United States federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition at a 30% rate (or such lower rate as may be prescribed under an applicable United States income tax treaty), which gain may be offset by United States source capital losses, even though you are not considered a resident of the United States.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

If you are a non-U.S. holder, you will generally not be subject to backup withholding and information reporting with respect to payments that we make to you, or with respect to the proceeds of the sale of a note within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial intermediaries, if the payor receives the statement described above under “—Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Payments of Interest” and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person, as defined under the Code, or you otherwise establish an exemption. However, we may be required to report annually to the Internal Revenue Service and to you the amount of, and the tax withheld with respect to, any interest paid to you, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. Copies of these information returns may also be made available under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which you reside.

You generally will be entitled to credit any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules against your United States federal income tax liability provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service in a timely manner.

Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to certain non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax will be imposed on interest on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, notes paid to a “foreign financial institution” (as defined in Section 1471 of the Code) or a “non-financial foreign entity” (as defined in Section 1472 of the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution

 

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undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner, or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders.

Although the withholding rules described above currently would apply to applicable payments made after December 31, 2012, proposed Treasury Regulations provide that such rules will apply to payments of interest on debt securities made on or after January 1, 2014 and to payments of gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of debt securities on or after January 1, 2015. Moreover, although such withholding rules currently would apply to the notes, proposed Treasury Regulations indicate that such rules would not apply to debt securities outstanding on January 1, 2013. Therefore, if such proposed Treasury Regulations are finalized in their current form, such withholding rules would not apply to the notes.

The proposed Treasury Regulations described above will not be effective until they are issued in their final form, and as of the date of this prospectus supplement, it is not possible to determine whether the proposed Treasury Regulations will be finalized in their current form or at all. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding these withholding rules, including whether such rules will apply to the notes.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Goldman, Sachs & Co., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and UBS Securities LLC are acting as representatives and joint book-running managers for the underwriters named below.

Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, each underwriter named below has agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to that underwriter, the principal amount of notes set forth opposite the underwriter’s name.

 

Name		Principal Amount of  Notes
Goldman, Sachs & Co.		$
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Total		$

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to purchase the notes included in this offering are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all the notes if they purchase any of the notes. The offering of the notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

The underwriters propose to offer the notes directly to the public initially at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. Notes sold by the underwriters to dealers may be sold at the public offering price less a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes. The underwriters may allow, and dealers may reallow, a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes on sales to other dealers. After the initial offering of the notes to the public, the representatives may change the public offering price and concessions.

The notes will not have an established trading market when issued. There can be no assurance of a secondary market for the notes or the continued liquidity of such market if one develops. It is not anticipated that the notes will be listed on any securities exchange.

The following table shows the underwriting discount that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of the notes).

 

		Paid by Sempra Energy
Per note				%

In connection with the offering, the representatives, on behalf of the underwriters, may purchase and sell notes in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Over-allotment involves syndicate sales of notes in excess of the principal amount of notes to be purchased from us by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases of notes made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market prices of the notes while the offering is in progress.

The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the representatives, in covering syndicate short positions or making stabilizing purchases, repurchase notes originally sold by that syndicate member.

 

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Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market prices of the notes. They may also cause the prices of the notes to be higher than the prices that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

We estimate that our total expenses for this offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be $250,000.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Some or all of the underwriters and/or their affiliates have acted and/or are acting as lenders to, and/or have performed certain investment banking and advisory and general financing, trustee and commercial banking and other commercial transactions and services for, us and/or our affiliates from time to time for which they have received customary fees and expenses. The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, act as lenders to or engage in transactions with or perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and instruments of ours or our affiliates. If any of the underwriters or their affiliates has a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or their affiliates routinely hedge and certain other of those underwriters or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, these underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Latham & Watkins LLP will pass upon the validity of the notes and various other legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the notes on behalf of Sempra Energy. Javade Chaudhri, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Sempra Energy, will pass upon certain other legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the notes on behalf of Sempra Energy. Sidley Austin LLP, San Francisco, California will act as counsel for the underwriters. Sidley Austin LLP from time to time represents Sempra Energy and certain of its subsidiaries in connection with certain legal matters.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedule incorporated by reference from Sempra Energy’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 11, 2012 and the effectiveness of Sempra Energy’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

SEMPRA ENERGY

Common Stock

Debt Securities

 

 

We may offer and sell common stock and debt securities from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer.

Each time we sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement before you invest in any of our securities. Sempra Energy’s common stock is quoted on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SRE.”

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See the information under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 6 of this prospectus, and any similar section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement concerning factors you should consider before investing in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is September 15, 2011.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
About This Prospectus			1
Forward-Looking Statements			2
Where You Can Find More Information			3
Sempra Energy			5
Risk Factors			6
Use Of Proceeds			7
Ratio Of Earnings To Combined Fixed Charges And Preferred Stock Dividends			8
Description Of Common Stock			9
Description Of Debt Securities			10
Plan Of Distribution			23
Legal Matters			24
Experts			24

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an “automatic shelf” registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the “SEC,” as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell securities from time to time and in one or more offerings as described herein. Each time that we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and the specific terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

When we refer to “Sempra,” “we,” “our” and “us” in this prospectus, we mean Sempra Energy and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified. When we refer to “you” or “yours,” we mean the holders of the applicable series of securities.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and the information they incorporate by reference may contain “forward-looking” statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When we use words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “depend,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “project,” “contemplate,” “potential,” “target,” “goals,” or similar expressions, or when we discuss our strategy, plans or intentions, we are making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon assumptions with respect to the future, involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of performance. Factors, among others, that could cause our actual results and future actions to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include:

 

•

local, regional, national and international economic, competitive, political, legislative and regulatory conditions and developments;

 

•

actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board and other regulatory, governmental and environmental bodies in the United States and other countries in which we operate;

 

•

capital market conditions and inflation, interest and exchange rates;

 

•

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;

 

•

weather conditions and conservation efforts;

 

•

war and terrorist attacks;

 

•

business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements;

 

•

the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery;

 

•

the timing and success of business development efforts;

 

•

the resolution of litigation; and

 

•

other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control.

We caution you not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in more detail under “Risk Factors,” “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in our reports and other documents on file with the SEC. You may obtain copies of these documents as described under “Where You Can Find More Information” below.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

Available Information

We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Information filed with the SEC by us can be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.

You may also obtain copies of this information by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at prescribed rates. Further information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

The SEC also maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.

Sempra Energy’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SRE,” and reports, proxy statements and other information concerning Sempra Energy can also be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

Our web site address is http://www.sempra.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.

This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as indicated below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC’s website.

Incorporation by Reference

The SEC’s rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in a previously filed document incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies or replaces that statement.

 

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We incorporate by reference our documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as “the Exchange Act” in this prospectus, between the date of this prospectus and the termination of the offering of the securities described in this prospectus. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including our Compensation Committee report and performance graph or any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or related exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

 

•

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2011 and our Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011.

 

•

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2011.

 

•

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2011.

 

•

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 22, 2011, March 22, 2011, April 21, 2011, May 18, 2011 and July 1, 2011 and our Amended Current Reports on Form 8-K/A, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2011 and June 14, 2011.

You may request a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents) by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Sempra Energy

101 Ash Street

San Diego, California 92101

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (619) 696-2000

Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

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SEMPRA ENERGY

Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, California, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. Our subsidiaries operate utilities, develop energy infrastructure and provide related products and services. Operations are divided principally between our California utility subsidiaries and our subsidiary Sempra Global.

Our principal executive offices are located at 101 Ash Street, San Diego, California 92101 and our telephone number is (619) 696-2000.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K we file after the date of this prospectus, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement before acquiring any of such securities. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities. See also “Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may invest funds not required immediately for such purposes in short-term investment grade securities.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES

AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth the ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for Sempra and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods indicated.

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2011

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

4.51x

3.48x

3.94x

3.80x

4.63x

5.47x

We determined the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends by dividing (a) the sum of pretax income (excluding undistributed income of equity investees, preferred dividends of subsidiaries and capitalized interest) and fixed charges by (b) fixed charges consisting of all interest expense (before allowances for borrowed funds used during construction), preferred dividends of subsidiaries, one-third of rent expense (which approximates the interest component of such expense) and amortization of debt issuance costs.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, this section describes the terms of our common stock. The following description of our common stock is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our articles of incorporation and bylaws. Therefore, you should read carefully the more detailed provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws, which are incorporated by reference herein and filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The authorized capital stock of Sempra Energy consists of (1) 750,000,000 shares of Sempra Energy common stock, without par value, and (2) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, without par value. As of August 5, 2011, there were 239,552,287 issued and outstanding shares of our common stock and no outstanding shares of our preferred stock. No other classes of capital stock are authorized under our articles of incorporation. The issued and outstanding shares of our common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights.

The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as our board of directors may from time to time declare, subject to any rights of holders of outstanding shares of our preferred stock. Except as otherwise provided by law, each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote per share on each matter submitted to a vote of a meeting of shareholders, subject to any class or series voting rights of holders of our preferred stock. The holders of shares of our common stock are not entitled to cumulate votes for the election of directors.

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Sempra Energy, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of shares of our common stock, subject to any rights of the holders of outstanding shares of our preferred stock, are entitled to receive any of our remaining assets after the discharge of our liabilities.

Holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights to subscribe for or purchase any part of any new or additional issue of stock or securities convertible into stock. Our common stock does not contain any redemption provisions or conversion rights and is not liable to assessment or further call.

The registrar and transfer agent for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company LLC.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, the following description sets forth the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that Sempra Energy may offer by this prospectus. The debt securities may be issued as senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

The senior debt securities will be governed by the senior indenture and the subordinated debt securities will be governed by the subordinated indenture. Each indenture gives the issuer broad authority to set the particular terms of each series of debt securities, including the right to modify certain of the terms contained in the indenture. The particular terms of a series of debt securities and the extent, if any, to which the particular terms of the issue modify the terms of the applicable indenture will be described in the accompanying prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt securities.

Each indenture contains the full legal text of the matters described in this section. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities or the applicable indentures. This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the applicable indenture, including definitions of terms used in such indenture. We also include references in parentheses to certain sections of the indenture. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the indentures in this prospectus or in a prospectus supplement, these sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or into the prospectus supplement. This summary also is subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the particular terms of a particular series of debt securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or supplements.

General

Sempra Energy may issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indentures in one or more series. Sempra Energy is not required to issue all debt securities of one series at the same time and, unless otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement, may reopen a series, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of that series, for issuances of additional debt securities of that series.

The debt securities of Sempra Energy will be its unsecured obligations.

Before the issuance of each series of debt securities, the terms of the particular securities will be specified in either a supplemental indenture (including any pricing supplement) and a board resolution of Sempra Energy or in one or more officers’ certificates of Sempra Energy pursuant to a supplemental indenture or a board resolution. We refer you to the applicable prospectus supplement for a description of the following terms of each series of debt securities:

 

(a)

the title of the debt securities;

 

(b)

any limit upon the principal amount of the debt securities;

 

(c)

the date or dates on which principal will be payable or how to determine the dates;

 

(d)

the rate or rates or method of determination of interest; the date from which interest will accrue; the dates on which interest will be payable, which we refer to as the “interest payment dates”; and any record dates for the interest payable on the interest payment dates;

 

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(e)

any obligation or option of Sempra Energy to redeem, purchase or repay debt securities, or any option of the registered holder to require us to redeem or repurchase debt securities, and the terms and conditions upon which the debt securities will be redeemed, purchased or repaid;

 

(f)

the denominations in which the debt securities will be issuable (if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof);

 

(g)

whether the debt securities are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global debt securities and, if so, the identity of the depositary for the global debt securities; and

 

(h)

any other terms of the debt securities that may be different from those described below.

(See Section 301.)

Ranking

The senior debt securities will be the unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of Sempra Energy. The indebtedness represented by the senior debt securities will rank equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated debt of the company. The indebtedness represented by the subordinated debt securities will rank junior and subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the senior debt of Sempra Energy, to the extent and in the manner set forth under the caption “—Subordination” below and as may be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The debt securities are obligations of Sempra Energy exclusively, and are not the obligations of any of its subsidiaries. Because Sempra Energy conducts its operations primarily through its subsidiaries and substantially all of its consolidated assets are held by its subsidiaries, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of Sempra Energy’s subsidiaries.

Holding Company Structure

Sempra Energy conducts its operations primarily through its subsidiaries and substantially all of its consolidated assets are held by its subsidiaries. Accordingly, Sempra Energy’s cash flow and its ability to meet its obligations under its debt securities are largely dependent upon the earnings of its subsidiaries and the distribution or other payment of these earnings to Sempra Energy in the form of dividends or loans or advances and repayment of loans and advances from Sempra Energy. The subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to pay any amounts due on the Sempra Energy debt securities or to make any funds available for payment of amounts due on these debt securities.

Because Sempra Energy is a holding company, its obligations under the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of its subsidiaries. Therefore, Sempra Energy’s rights and the rights of its creditors, including the rights of the holders of the debt securities issued by Sempra Energy, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon the liquidation or reorganization of the subsidiary will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors. To the extent that Sempra Energy may itself be a creditor with recognized claims against any of its subsidiaries, Sempra Energy’s claims would still be effectively subordinated to any security interest in, or mortgages or other liens on, the assets of the subsidiary and would be subordinated to any indebtedness or other liabilities of the subsidiary that are senior to the claims held by Sempra Energy. Sempra Energy expects to incur, and expects that each of its subsidiaries will incur, substantial additional amounts of indebtedness.

 

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Payment of Debt Securities—Interest

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, Sempra Energy will pay interest on the debt securities on each interest payment date by check mailed to the person in whose name the debt securities are registered as of the close of business on the regular record date relating to the interest payment date.

However, if we default in paying interest on a debt security, we will pay defaulted interest in either of the two following ways:

 

(a)

We will first propose to the trustee a payment date for the defaulted interest. Next, the trustee will choose a special record date for determining which registered holders are entitled to the payment. The special record date will be between ten and 15 days before the proposed payment date. Finally, we will pay the defaulted interest on the payment date to the registered holder of the debt security as of the close of business on the special record date.

 

(b)

Alternatively, we can propose to the trustee any other lawful manner of payment that is consistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the debt securities are listed for trading. If the trustee thinks the proposal is practicable, payment will be made as proposed.

(See Section 307.)

Payment of Debt Securities—Principal

Sempra Energy will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, upon presentation of the debt securities at the office of the paying agent, which initially will be the trustee or such other paying agent designated in accordance with the applicable indenture. Any other paying agent initially designated for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If any interest payment date, redemption date or the maturity date of the debt securities is not a business day at any place of payment, then payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest may be made on the next business day at that place of payment. In that case, no interest will accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after the applicable interest payment date, redemption date or maturity date, as the case may be.

Sempra Energy will pay principal of and any premium on the debt securities at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, upon presentation of the debt securities at the office of the paying agent. In the its discretion, Sempra Energy may appoint one or more additional paying agents and security registrars and designate one or more additional places for payment and for registration of transfer, but must at all times maintain a place of payment of the debt securities and a place for registration of transfer of the debt securities in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York. (See Section 1002.)

Form; Transfers; Exchanges

The debt securities will be issued:

 

(a)

only in fully registered form;

 

 

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(b)

without interest coupons; and

 

(c)

in denominations that are even multiples of $1,000.

You may have your debt securities divided into debt securities of smaller denominations (of at least $1,000) or combined into debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed. This is called an “exchange.” (See Section 305.)

You may exchange or transfer debt securities at the office of the trustee. The trustee acts as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders and transferring debt securities. Sempra Energy may appoint another agent or act as its own agent for this purpose. The entity performing the role of maintaining the list of registered holders is called the “security registrar.” It will also perform transfers. (See Section 305.)

In our discretion, we may change the place for registration of transfer of the debt securities and may remove and/or appoint one or more additional security registrars. (See Sections 305 and 1002.)

There will be no service charge for any transfer or exchange of the debt securities, but you may be required to pay a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the transfer or exchange.

We may block the transfer or exchange of (a) debt securities during a period of 15 days before giving any notice of redemption or (b) any debt security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part. (See Section 305.)

Optional Redemption

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, all or a portion of the debt securities may be redeemed at the option of Sempra Energy at any time or from time to time. The redemption price for the debt securities to be redeemed on any redemption date will be equal to the greater of the following amounts:

 

•

100% of the principal amount of the debt securities being redeemed on the redemption date; or

 

•

the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the debt securities being redeemed on that redemption date (not including any portion of any payments of interest accrued to the redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus a number of basis points as set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement, as determined by the Reference Treasury Dealer (as defined below).

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on the debt securities that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or before a redemption date will be payable on the interest payment date to the registered holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the debt securities and the indenture. The redemption price will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

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We will mail notice of any redemption at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each registered holder of the debt securities to be redeemed. Once notice of redemption is mailed, the debt securities called for redemption will become due and payable on the redemption date and at the applicable redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. If we elect to redeem all or a portion of the debt securities, that redemption will not be conditional upon receipt by the paying agent or the trustee of monies sufficient to pay the redemption price. (See Section 1104.)

Debt securities will cease to bear interest on the redemption date. Sempra Energy will pay the redemption price and any accrued interest once you surrender the debt security for redemption. (See Section 1105.) If only part of a debt security is redeemed, the trustee will deliver to you a new debt security of the same series for the remaining portion without charge. (Section 1106.)

Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date interest will cease to accrue on the debt securities or portions thereof called for redemption.

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealer as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the debt securities to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such debt securities.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (B) if the trustee receives fewer than three Such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Quotations, or (C) if the trustee receives only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation, such Quotation.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (A) the underwriters referenced in any applicable prospectus supplement; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), Sempra Energy will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (B) any other Primary Treasury Dealer(s) selected by Sempra Energy.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by Sempra Energy, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to us by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

 

 

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Events of Default

An “event of default” occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series if:

 

(a)

Sempra Energy does not pay any interest on any debt securities of the applicable series within 30 days of the due date;

 

(b)

Sempra Energy does not pay any principal of or premium on any debt securities of the applicable series on the due date;

 

(c)

Sempra Energy remains in breach of a covenant or warranty (excluding covenants and warranties solely applicable to another series of debt securities issued under the applicable indenture) in the applicable indenture or the debt securities of the applicable series for 60 days after it receives a written notice of default stating it is in breach and requiring remedy of the breach; the notice must be sent by either the trustee or registered holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series;

 

(d)

default occurs under any bond, note, debenture or other instrument evidencing any indebtedness for money borrowed by Sempra Energy, excluding any of its subsidiaries (including a default with respect to any other series of debt securities issued under the applicable indenture), or under any mortgage, indenture or other instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by Sempra Energy (or the payment of which is guaranteed by Sempra Energy), excluding any of its subsidiaries, whether such indebtedness or guarantee exists on the date of the applicable indenture or is issued or entered into following the date of the applicable indenture, if:

 

(1)

either:

 

•

such default results from the failure to pay any such indebtedness when due; or

 

•

as a result of such default the maturity of such indebtedness has been accelerated prior to its expressed maturity; and

 

(2)

the principal amount of such indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such indebtedness in default for failure to pay any such indebtedness when due or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates at least $25 million;

 

(e)

Sempra Energy files for bankruptcy or other specified events in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or reorganization occur; or

 

(f)

any other event of default specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for such series occurs.

(See Section 501.)

No event of default with respect to a series of debt securities necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any other series issued under the applicable indenture.

 

 

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Remedies

Acceleration

If an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to any series of debt securities, then either the trustee or the registered holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all of the debt securities of that series, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to be due and payable immediately. (See Section 502.)

Rescission of Acceleration

After the declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to any series of debt securities and before the trustee has obtained a judgment or decree for payment of the money due, the declaration and its consequences will be rescinded and annulled, if:

 

(a)

Sempra Energy pays or deposits with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

 

(1)

all overdue interest on the debt securities of that series, other than interest which has become due by declaration of acceleration;

 

(2)

the principal of and any premium on the debt securities of that series which have become due, otherwise than by the declaration of acceleration, and overdue interest on these amounts;

 

(3)

interest on overdue interest, other than interest which has become due by declaration of acceleration, on the debt securities of that series to the extent lawful; and

 

(4)

all amounts due to the trustee under the applicable indenture; and

 

(b)

all events of default with respect to the debt securities of that series, other than the nonpayment of the principal and interest which has become due solely by the declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable indenture.

(See Section 502.)

For more information as to waiver of defaults, see “—Waiver of Default and of Compliance” below.

Control by Registered Holders; Limitations

If an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the registered holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, voting as a single class, without regard to the holders of outstanding debt securities of any other series that may also be in default, will have the right to direct the time, method and place of:

 

(a)

conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series; and

 

(b)

exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.

 

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These rights of registered holders to give directions are subject to the following limitations:

 

(a)

the registered holders’ directions do not conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and

 

(b)

the direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of holders of the debt securities of that series who do not join in that action.

The trustee may also take any other action it deems proper which is consistent with the registered holders’ direction. (See Sections 512 and 603.)

In addition, each indenture provides that no registered holder of debt securities of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the applicable indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or for any other remedy thereunder unless:

 

(a)

that registered holder has previously given the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default;

 

(b)

the registered holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of that event of default and have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity against costs and liabilities incurred in complying with the request; and

 

(c)

for 60 days after receipt of the notice, the trustee has failed to institute a proceeding and no direction inconsistent with the request has been given to the trustee during the 60-day period by the registered holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of that series.

Furthermore, no registered holder will be entitled to institute any action if and to the extent that the action would disturb or prejudice the rights of other registered holders of debt securities. (See Section 507.)

However, each registered holder has an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment when due and to bring a suit to enforce that right. (See Section 508.)

Notice of Default

The trustee is required to give the registered holders of debt securities of the affected series notice of any default under the applicable indenture to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act, unless the default has been cured or waived; except that in the case of an event of default of the character specified above in clause (c) under “—Events of Default,” no notice shall be given to such registered holders until at least 30 days after the occurrence of the default. The Trust Indenture Act currently permits the trustee to withhold notices of default (except for certain payment defaults) if the trustee in good faith determines the withholding of the notice to be in the interests of the registered holders. (See Section 602.)

We will furnish the trustee with an annual statement as to our compliance with the conditions and covenants in the applicable indenture.

 

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Waiver of Default and of Compliance

The registered holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series, voting as a single class, without regard to the holders of outstanding debt securities of any other series, may waive, on behalf of all registered holders of the debt securities of that series, any past default under the applicable indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest, or with respect to compliance with certain provisions of the applicable indenture that cannot be amended without the consent of the registered holder of each outstanding debt security of that series. (See Section 513.)

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, compliance with certain covenants in the applicable indenture or otherwise provided with respect to debt securities of any series may be waived before the time specified for compliance by the registered holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series. (See Section 1006.)

Consolidation, Merger and Conveyance of Assets as an Entirety; No Financial Covenants

Sempra Energy has agreed not to consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or to sell, transfer, lease or otherwise convey its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any entity, unless:

 

(a)

it is the continuing entity (in the case of a merger) or the successor entity formed by such consolidation or into which it is merged or which acquires by sale, transfer, lease or other conveyance its properties and assets, as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium and interest on all the debt securities and the performance of all of the covenants under the indenture; and

 

(b)

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an event of default, has or will have occurred and be continuing.

Neither the applicable indenture nor the debt securities guarantee contains any financial or other similar restrictive covenants.

(See Section 801.)

Modification of Indenture

Without Registered Holder Consent. Without the consent of any registered holders of debt securities, Sempra Energy and the trustee may enter into one or more supplemental indentures for any of the following purposes:

 

(a)

to evidence the succession of another entity to Sempra Energy; or

 

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(b)

to add one or more covenants for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon Sempra Energy; or

 

(c)

to add any additional events of default for all or any series of debt securities; or

 

(d)

to change or eliminate any provision of the applicable indenture so long as the change or elimination does not apply to any debt securities entitled to the benefit of such provision or to add any new provision to the applicable indenture (in addition to the provisions which may otherwise be added to the applicable indenture pursuant to the other clauses of this paragraph) so long as the addition does not apply to any outstanding debt securities; or

 

(e)

to provide security for the debt securities of any series; or

 

(f)

to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series, as permitted by the applicable indenture; or

 

(g)

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment of a separate or successor trustee; or

 

(h)

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency or to make any other changes with respect to any series of debt securities that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities of that series in any material respect.

(See Section 901.)

With Registered Holder Consent. Subject to the following sentence, Sempra Energy and the trustee may, with some exceptions, amend or modify the applicable indenture with the consent of the registered holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of each series affected by the amendment or modification. However, no amendment or modification may, without the consent of the registered holder of each outstanding debt security affected thereby:

 

(a)

change the stated maturity of the principal or interest on any debt security or reduce the principal amount, interest or premium payable or change any place of payment where or the currency in which any debt security is payable, or impair the right to bring suit to enforce any payment;

 

(b)

reduce the percentages of registered holders whose consent is required for any supplemental indenture or waiver; or

 

(c)

modify certain provisions in the applicable indenture relating to supplemental indentures and waivers of certain covenants and past defaults.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any provision of the applicable indenture expressly included solely for the benefit of holders of debt securities of one or more particular series will be deemed not to affect the interests under the applicable indenture of the holders of debt securities of any other series.

(See Section 902.)

 

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Defeasance

The indentures provide, unless the terms of the particular series of debt securities provide otherwise, that Sempra Energy may, upon satisfying several conditions, cause it to be discharged from its obligations, with some exceptions, with respect to any series of debt securities, which we refer to as “defeasance.”

One condition Sempra Energy must satisfy is the irrevocable deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or government obligations which, through the scheduled payment of principal and interest on those obligations, would provide sufficient moneys to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on those debt securities on the maturity dates of the payments or upon redemption.

In addition, Sempra Energy will be required to deliver an opinion of counsel to the effect that a holder of debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if that defeasance had not occurred. The opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in law after the date of the applicable indenture.

(See Article XIII.)

Satisfaction and Discharge

The applicable indenture will cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of debt securities, and we will be deemed to have satisfied and discharged all of our obligations under the applicable indenture, except as noted below, when:

 

•

all outstanding debt securities of such series have become due or will become due within one year at their stated maturity or on a redemption date; and

 

•

Sempra Energy deposits with the trustee, in trust, funds that are sufficient to pay and discharge all remaining indebtedness on the outstanding debt securities of such series.

Sempra Energy will remain obligated to pay all other amounts due under the applicable indenture and to perform certain ministerial tasks as described in the applicable indenture.

(See Section 401.)

Resignation and Removal of the Trustee; Deemed Resignation

The trustee with respect to any series of debt securities may resign at any time by giving written notice to us. The trustee may also be removed with respect to the debt securities of any series by act of the registered holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of such series. No resignation or removal of the trustee and no appointment of a successor trustee will become effective until the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee in accordance with the requirements of the applicable indenture. Under certain circumstances, Sempra Energy may appoint a successor trustee with respect to such series of debt securities, and if the successor trustee accepts, the trustee will be deemed to have resigned. (See Section 610.)

 

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Subordination

Unless indicated differently in a prospectus supplement, Sempra Energy’s subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all its senior debt. This means that upon:

 

(a)

any distribution of the assets of Sempra Energy upon its dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings; or

 

(b)

acceleration of the maturity of the subordinated debt securities; or

 

(c)

a failure to pay any senior debt or interest thereon when due and continuance of that default beyond any applicable grace period; or

 

(d)

acceleration of the maturity of any senior debt as a result of a default,

the holders of all of Sempra Energy’s senior debt will be entitled to receive:

 

•

in the case of clauses (a) and (b) above, payment of all amounts due or to become due on all senior debt; and

 

•

in the case of clauses (c) and (d) above, payment of all amounts due on all senior debt,

before the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment. So long as any of the events in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) above has occurred and is continuing, any amounts payable on the subordinated debt securities will instead be paid directly to the holders of all senior debt to the extent necessary to pay the senior debt in full and, if any payment is received by the subordinated indenture trustee under the subordinated indenture or the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities before all senior debt is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the unpaid senior debt. Subject to paying the senior debt in full, the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the senior debt to the extent that payments are made to the holders of senior debt out of the distributive share of the subordinated debt securities. (See Section 1401.)

“senior debt” means with respect to the subordinated debt securities, the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on and any other payment in respect of indebtedness due pursuant to any of the following, whether outstanding on the date the subordinated debt securities are issued or thereafter incurred, created or assumed:

 

(a)

all of the indebtedness of Sempra Energy evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other securities sold by it for money or other obligations for money borrowed;

 

(b)

all indebtedness of others of the kinds described in the preceding clause (a) assumed by or guaranteed in any manner by Sempra Energy or in effect guaranteed by Sempra Energy through an agreement to purchase, contingent or otherwise, as applicable; and

 

(c)

all renewals, extensions or refundings of indebtedness of the kinds described in either of the preceding clauses (a) and (b), unless, in the case of any particular indebtedness, renewal, extension or refunding, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or the assumption or guarantee of the same by its terms provides that such indebtedness, renewal, extension or refunding is not superior in right of payment to or is pari passu with such securities. (See Section 101.)

 

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Due to the subordination, if assets of Sempra Energy are distributed upon insolvency, certain of its general creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of subordinated debt securities. The subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the satisfaction and discharge and the defeasance provisions of the applicable subordinated indenture. (See Section 1410.)

The subordinated debt securities and the subordinated indenture do not limit Sempra Energy or any of its subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness, including indebtedness that will rank senior to subordinated debt securities. Sempra Energy expects that it will incur, and that each of its subsidiaries will incur, substantial additional amounts of indebtedness in the future. (See Section 301.)

Conversion Rights

The terms and conditions of any series of debt securities being offered that are convertible into common stock of Sempra Energy will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. These terms will include the conversion price, the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be at the option of the holder or Sempra Energy, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion if such series of debt securities are redeemed.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Each indenture provides that certain debt securities, including those for which payment or redemption money has been deposited or set aside in trust as described under “—Satisfaction and Discharge” above, will not be deemed to be “outstanding” in determining whether the registered holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding debt securities have given or taken any demand, direction, consent or other action under the indenture as of any date, or are present at a meeting of registered holders for quorum purposes. (See Section 101.)

Sempra Energy will be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the registered holders of outstanding debt securities of any series entitled to give or take any demand, direction, consent or other action under the applicable indenture, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the applicable indenture. In certain circumstances, the trustee also will be entitled to set a record date for action by registered holders of any series of outstanding debt securities. If a record date is set for any action to be taken by registered holders of particular debt securities, the action may be taken only by persons who are registered holders of the respective debt securities on the record date. (See Section 104.)

Governing Law

Each indenture and the related debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (See Section 112.)

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the offered securities from time to time:

 

•

through agents;

 

•

through underwriters or dealers;

 

•

directly to one or more purchasers; or

 

•

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers and their compensation in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Latham & Watkins LLP will pass upon certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby on behalf of Sempra Energy.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedule incorporated by reference in this prospectus from Sempra Energy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the effectiveness of Sempra Energy’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are also incorporated by reference herein. Such financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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$                         % Notes due 2022

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

September     , 2012

Joint Book-Running Managers

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

RBC Capital Markets

UBS Investment Bank