Sempra among "most admired" companies?

San Diego–based Sempra Energy, parent of San Diego Gas & Electric, is touting its ranking by Fortune magazine as one of the "World's Most Admired Companies" in a press release last week. The firm ranked fourth in the category for electric and gas utilities.

The ranking comes despite allegations of corruption, influence-peddling, money-laundering, and organized crime ties in Mexico that have prompted a Department of Homeland Security investigation, political maneuvering to shift the burden for the prematurely-retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to ratepayers despite evidence the utility and its partner knew about potential design flaws, and rates that are consistently among the highest in the nation.

"I am very proud that Sempra Energy has been named one of the 'Most Admired Companies,'" said Sempra chairman and CEO Debra L. Reed in a February 19 release. "It is an honor to be recognized by our industry peers and the financial community."