Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) today reported 2015 earnings of $1.35 billion, or $5.37 per diluted share, up from $1.16 billion, or $4.63 per diluted share, in 2014.

Sempra Energy's 2015 results included: a $36 million after-tax gain on the sale of the second block of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power's Mesquite power facility; a benefit of $15 million after tax for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), due to a reduction in the loss related to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS); and $10 million after tax in liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction development expenses.  Sempra Energy's 2014 results reflected $21 million after tax in charges related to SONGS.  Excluding these items in both years, Sempra Energy's adjusted earnings in 2015 were $1.31 billion, or $5.21 per diluted share, up from $1.18 billion, or $4.71 per diluted share, in 2014.

On Feb. 18, California state regulators confirmed that Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) had permanently sealed the leaking well at its Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility outside Los Angeles.

"We are pleased SoCalGas was able to permanently stop the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak last week," said Debra L. Reed, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy. "We recognize the disruption the leak has caused to SoCalGas customers living in the neighborhoods adjacent to the Aliso Canyon facility. SoCalGas is committed to helping local residents return to their normal lives as quickly as possible and also will support forward-looking regulations to ensure the safety of natural gas storage operations going forward.  

"Despite this operational challenge at SoCalGas, we produced strong financial results in 2015.  We successfully grew operating earnings and outperformed our adjusted earnings guidance for the year. Looking forward, our key capital projects and initiatives are progressing well, and we are executing our five-year financial plan, which we expect will generate earnings growth at about twice the utility industry average."

Sempra Energy's fourth-quarter earnings increased to $369 million, or $1.47 per diluted share, in 2015 from $297 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, in 2014. Excluding SONGS-related items and LNG liquefaction development expenses, Sempra Energy's adjusted earnings in the fourth quarter 2015 were $370 million, or $1.47 per diluted share, compared with $309 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter 2014.

Beginning in the first quarter 2015, SoCalGas adopted an order by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to recognize revenues from the utility's core activities on a seasonally adjusted basis (seasonality). The application of seasonality to revenues results in substantially all of SoCalGas' annual earnings being reported in the first and fourth quarters of the year, but did not affect full-year earnings or cash flow.  Due to seasonality, Sempra Energy's fourth-quarter 2015 earnings reflected $48 million higher earnings at SoCalGas, compared with the fourth quarter 2014, offsetting the net seasonality impact on earnings through the first three quarters of 2015.

Last week, Sempra Energy's board of directors approved an 8-percent increase in the company's annualized dividend to $3.02 per share from $2.80 per share.