Final Phase Completed Ahead of June 30 Deadline

    LAS VEGAS, April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Nevada Power Company, a subsidiary
of Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE: SRP), announced today that the second
and final phase of the Chuck Lenzie Generating Station is now complete and
fully operational.
    "With this second unit of our Lenzie facility now commercial, an
additional 580 megawatts of power is flowing to customers in southern
Nevada," said Roberto Denis, senior vice president of energy supply.
"Energy from this unit, combined with the first 580-megawatt block that was
brought on line earlier this year, provides an immediate benefit to our
southern Nevada customers."
    Denis pointed out that the new, more efficient Lenzie facility produces
more power using less natural gas than older generating plants and also
provides an internal source of power for Nevada Power, eliminating the need
to purchase energy in the more volatile and expensive open market. This
significantly reduces the cost of energy southern Nevada customers would
otherwise have to pay.
    This second phase of the project was also completed ahead of the June
30, 2006, deadline, in time to help meet southern Nevada's higher demand
for power in the hot summer months.
    Lenzie consists of four natural gas-fired combustion turbines, four
heat recovery steam generators and two steam turbines operating in
combined-cycle mode. The plant is located approximately 20 miles northeast
of Las Vegas. It is the first company-owned power plant completed since
1995.
    Nevada Power Company is a regulated public utility engaged in the
distribution, transmission, generation, purchase and sale of electric
energy in the southern Nevada communities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas,
Henderson, Searchlight, Laughlin and their adjoining areas. The Company
also provides electricity to Nellis Air Force Base, the Department of
Energy at Mercury and Jackass Flats at the Nevada Test Site. Nevada Power
Company provides electricity to approximately 750,000 residential and
business customers in a 4,500 square mile service area.
    Headquartered in Nevada, Sierra Pacific Resources is a holding company
whose principal subsidiaries are Nevada Power Company, the electric utility
for most of southern Nevada, and Sierra Pacific Power Company, the electric
utility for most of northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area of California.
Sierra Pacific Power Company also distributes natural gas in the
Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada. Other subsidiaries include the
Tuscarora Gas Pipeline Company, which owns 50 percent interest in an
interstate natural gas transmission partnership and several unregulated
energy services companies.

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