Sempra Could Be Takeover Candidate, Newspaper Says
 
The London Telegraph newspaper quoted an analyst who said that U.K.-based 
Centrica could 
be eyeing Sempra Energy as a possible takeover candidate following Centrica's 
purchase of 
Canadian gas and electricity supplier Direct Energy. 

Direct Energy owns a 27.5% stake in Energy America, whose remaining equity 
belongs to Sempra. 
The newspaper quoted Simon Hawkins, an analyst with UBS Warburg, as saying 
the Direct Energy 
acquisition is "step one of something much bigger." In principle, he said, 
there is no reason why 
Centrica shouldn't go after Sempra. Centrica told the newspaper it was 
"talking to Sempra about 
the way forward."