Gas Suppliers: New or Expanded Interconnection Receipt Points for California Gas Producers, BioGas and LNG Suppliers

General Information

Thank you for your interest in developing a new gas supply source to sell to the marketplace through an interconnect with the SDG&E network of natural gas pipelines. Although the sources of gas can be quite diverse, the process to obtain an interconnection is similar. 

Due to the complexity of SDG&E’s network of pipelines, it’s important you contact us in the early stages of your project so we can assist you in making the most cost-effective interconnection, taking your needs and the existing infrastructure into consideration.

How to Begin

Please take a few moments to review the project fact sheet as this information will be used to evaluate our ability to accept supplies from your project. If you already know the name of your SDG&E account representative, please call him/her directly and/or e-mail your completed project fact sheet to your representative.

If you don’t know your customer contact representative, e-mail the project fact sheet to gasstudyrequests@semprautilities.com and/or call Jerry McPherson
(213) 244-3972

No matter the source of the natural gas, the California Public Utilities Commission has approved a number of tariff rules that govern the requirements for all gas supplies entering SDG&E’s system, specifically, Tariff Rules 39 and 30.

Rule No. 39

Rule No. 39, Access to the SDG&E® Pipeline System provides the terms of access and interconnection capacity studies. The process for obtaining an interconnection involves three steps:

  1. The first step begins with a written and funded supplier request for an Interconnection Capacity Study to determine the Utility’s downstream capability to take away capacity from the interconnection point and the associated utility facility enhancement costs. The supplier request needs to identify where and when the new supply will be delivered to the Utility and the volume to be received.
  2. The second step is a written and funded request for a Preliminary Engineering Study after the Interconnection Capacity Study is completed. In this step SDG&E will include cost estimates for land acquisition, site development, right-of-way, metering, gas quality, permitting, regulatory, environmental, unusual construction costs, and operating and maintenance costs, which are not included in an Interconnection Capacity Study.
  3. The final step is a written and funded request for a Detailed Engineering Study, which would describe all costs of construction, development of complete engineering/construction drawings, and preparation of all construction and environmental permit applications along with right-of-way acquisition requirements.

Any party seeking an interconnection is required to pay 100% of the costs for each study.   An invoice for the estimated cost of each study will be issued and must be funded before that particular study can begin.  

If you already have an Interconnection and are considering increasing the receipt point capacity, you have three funding options as outlined in Section B.7 of Rule 39.

Rule No. 30

This rule provides the general terms and conditions that apply whenever the Utility transports customer-owned gas over its system.  The supplier or Interconnector is responsible for processing the gas as necessary to meet the Rule 30 specifications for pipeline quality natural gas so that the Interconnector can deliver it to the Utility and the Utility can re-deliver it through its gas transportation system for customers.

SDG&E also is providing the attached guidelines to demonstrate how biomethane suppliers can meet their obligation to provide merchantable gas under Rule 30. Biomethane deliveries from agriculture and/or animal wastes – subject to California Public Utilities Commission approval to expand SDG&E's biogas definition – and other organic renewable sources such as waste water, meeting the guidelines will be accepted into SDG&E’s distribution and transmission systems pursuant to Rule 39. Please note that landfill gas is currently not accepted or transported.