Sempra — Owner of SDG&E — Made $800 Million in Profits 2nd Quarter — While 1 in 5 of Their Customers Are Behind Average of $500 in Bills

Two things happened on last Thursday, August 6th, that affect you and your utility bill.

First, Sempra — the company that owns SDG&E — released its earnings report for the second quarter of 2026, from April thru June, and revealed it made nearly $800 million, a significant increase from the $460 million it earned during the same period last year. The earnings are Sempra’s consolidated profit across California, Texas and infrastructure businesses. SDG&) is a regulated subsidiary and owned utility of Sempra.  SDG&E provides energy for 3.7 million people across San Diego and Southern Orange County.

While Sempra stock holders are reaping it in, San Diego utility customers are having a difficult time paying  their bills. A March 2026 report from the Public Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission found that nearly one in five San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) customers is behind on their bills. The average past due balance for these customers is around $500, reports CBS8.

Second, on Thursday, a number of environmental and community groups demanded action against soaring utility costs, claiming companies like Sempra are profiting while residents struggle. Climate Action Campaign, San Diego 350 and Public Power San Diego held a rally outside Sempra’s downtown headquarters to address these concerns. These folks are telling you that you’re not alone in being pissed off at the utility.

Anthony Dang with Climate Action Campaign was quoted:

“The frustrating part about it is that we’re receiving rate hikes year after year, so our utility bills, they’re going up and up, and San Diegans are struggling. Meanwhile, there are executives receiving huge paychecks. We’re reaching a boiling point in the affordability crisis.”

People at the rally called upon local and state leaders to intervene and help decrease these financial burdens. They cited rising grocery prices, high housing costs, and expensive gas as factors exacerbating their struggles. They are calling on local and state leaders to intervene and help decrease these financial burdens.

A spokesperson for SDG&E responded with the following statement:

“We know that energy costs are a real concern for our customers, and we understand the strain utility bills can place on household and business budgets. We take those concerns seriously,” the company stated, adding that they are focused on providing safe, reliable energy service. They also highlighted available assistance programs, payment options, and energy-saving tools to help residents manage their bills.