News Releases

NV Energy, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Results

PRNewswire-FirstCall
LAS VEGAS
Jul 31, 2009
5:00am

NV Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NVE) today announced consolidated net income of $18.4 million, or 8 cents per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2009, compared with consolidated net income of $36.1 million, or 15 cents per share, for the same period in 2008.

The decrease in earnings in the second quarter 2009 compared with the same period in 2008 was the result of higher other operating and maintenance expenses, depreciation, and interest expenses primarily related to power plant investments.

"Much of the decline in the second quarter is attributable to expenses associated with new generating facilities in southern Nevada that did not provide a return to shareholders but were addressed in our most recent general rate case," said Michael Yackira, president and chief executive officer of NV Energy.

NV Energy's two utilities contributed gross margin of $325.9 million in the second quarter 2009, $21.6 million higher than the second quarter 2008. The increase in consolidated gross margin was primarily due to a general rate increase in the company's northern Nevada service territory effective July 1, 2008, as well as increased residential customer usage due to warmer weather and modest customer growth.

The average number of residential, commercial and industrial electric customers in southern Nevada increased by 0.4 percent, 0.8 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively, in the six months ended June 30, 2009, compared with the same period in 2008. In northern Nevada, the average number of residential customers declined 0.1 percent while commercial and industrial electric customers increased by 1.5 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2009, compared with the same period in 2008.

Webcast Scheduled for 7 a.m. PDT today, Friday, July 31, 2009

Senior management of NV Energy will review the company's 2009 second quarter financial results, regulatory issues and other matters during a conference call and live webcast today, Friday, July 31, at 7 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

  The webcast will be accessible on the NV Energy website:

  www.NVEnergy.com.

An archived version of the webcast will remain on the NV Energy website for approximately one month following the live webcast. To listen to a recording of the call by telephone, call (800) 475-6701, and international callers should dial (320) 365-3844. Use the conference call access code, 107018, to listen to the recording.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, NV Energy, Inc. is a holding company whose principal subsidiaries, Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company, are doing business as NV Energy. Serving a 54,500-square-mile service territory that stretches north to south from Elko to Laughlin, NV Energy provides a wide range of energy services and products to approximately 2.4 million citizens of Nevada as well as approximately 40 million tourists annually.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the future performance of NV Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Nevada Power Company d/b/a NV Energy and Sierra Pacific Power Company d/b/a NV Energy, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, NV Energy's ability to maintain access to the capital markets, NV Energy's ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries, the financial performance of NV Energy's subsidiaries, particularly Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company, and the discretion of NV Energy's Board of Directors with respect to the payment of future dividends based on its periodic review of factors that ordinarily affect dividend policy, such as current and prospective financial condition, earnings and liquidity, prospective business conditions, regulatory factors, and dividend restrictions in NV Energy's and its subsidiaries' financing agreements. For Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company, these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, future economic conditions both nationally and regionally, changes in the rate of industrial, commercial and residential growth in their service territories, unfavorable rulings in their pending and future regulatory filings, their ability to maintain access to the capital markets for general corporate purposes and to finance construction projects, their ability to purchase sufficient fuel, natural gas and power to meet their power demands and natural gas demands for Sierra Pacific Power Company, financial market conditions, changes in environmental laws and regulations, and construction risks. Additional cautionary statements regarding other risk factors that could have an effect on the future performance of NV Energy, Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company are contained in their quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 and their Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 each filed with the SEC. NV Energy, Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

                                Financial Highlights
                  (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
                                     (Unaudited)

  NV Energy, Inc.

                           Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                                 June 30,                 June 30,
                           ------------------         -----------------
                           2009          2008         2009         2008
                           ----          ----         ----         ----
  Operating revenues      $838,641     $838,794   $1,593,908   $1,643,845
  Other operating
   expenses               $109,886      $98,647     $224,563     $190,322
  Maintenance              $27,632      $21,472      $62,032      $44,594
  Depreciation and
   amortization            $80,323      $64,341     $158,371     $126,411
  Income taxes
   (benefits)               $4,084      $12,928      $(9,572)     $21,547
  Taxes other than
   income                  $13,753      $12,658      $28,400      $26,565

  Operating income         $90,215      $94,201     $145,968     $171,014

  Other income
   (expense):
  Allowance for other
   funds used during
   construction             $8,548      $13,113      $14,766      $25,070
  Income taxes             $(5,509)     $(4,099)     $(7,751)    $(12,188)

  Interest Charges
   (net of AFUDC)          $83,559      $67,300     $166,192     $135,804

  Net Income (Loss)        $18,383      $36,134      $(3,861)     $60,192
                           =======      =======      =======      =======

  Amount per share
   basic and diluted -
   Net income (Loss)
   per share - basic
   and diluted               $0.08        $0.15       $(0.02)       $0.26

  Weighted Average
   Shares of Common
   Stock Outstanding:
  Basic -              234,474,727  233,992,721  234,403,282  233,914,046
                       ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
  Diluted -            235,089,193  234,519,562  234,403,282  234,420,336
                       ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========


  Capital Structure             June 30, 2009           June 30, 2008
                                -------------           -------------
  Current maturities
   of long-term debt        $9,085          0.1%     $10,298          0.1%
  Long-term debt         5,571,799         64.3%   4,451,781         59.5%
                         ---------         ----    ---------         ----
  Total Debt            $5,580,884         64.4%  $4,462,079         59.6%
  Common shareholders'
   equity                3,083,773         35.6%   3,024,027         40.4%
                         ---------         ----    ---------         ----
  Total Capitalization
   (including current
   maturities of
   long-term debt)      $8,664,657        100.0%  $7,486,106        100.0%
                        ==========        =====   ==========        =====




  Nevada Power Company
                                Three Months Ended      Six Months Ended
                                      June 30,              June 30,
                                ------------------      ----------------
                                  2009       2008       2009        2008
                                  ----       ----       ----        ----
  Operating revenues            $575,769  $570,223  $1,012,298  $1,039,395
  Other operating expenses       $68,057   $62,617    $138,250    $119,712
  Maintenance                    $18,732   $13,608     $46,266     $30,258
  Depreciation and amortization  $53,510   $42,323    $105,873     $82,953
  Income taxes (benefits)         $1,035   $12,865    $(17,512)    $14,997
  Taxes other than income         $8,361    $7,427     $17,424     $15,749

  Operating income               $60,640   $67,067     $76,105    $107,864

  Other income (expense):
  Allowance for other funds
   used during construction       $7,552    $7,692     $13,173     $14,550
  Income taxes                   $(4,361)  $(3,131)    $(6,543)    $(7,522)

  Interest Charges (net of
   AFUDC)                        $57,137   $40,988    $112,180     $82,461

  Net Income (Loss)              $12,501   $33,175    $(22,650)    $41,146
                                 =======   =======    ========     =======


  Capital Structure                 June 30, 2009         June 30, 2008
                                    -------------         -------------
  Current maturities of
   long-term debt                 $9,085       0.1%     $8,636         0.1%
  Long-term Debt               3,712,016      59.3%  2,664,929        51.2%

  Total Debt                  $3,721,101      59.4% $2,673,565        51.3%
  Common shareholder's
   equity                      2,542,948      40.6%  2,534,866        48.7%

  Total Capitalization
   (including current
   maturities of long-term
   debt)                      $6,264,049     100.0% $5,208,431       100.0%
                              ==========     =====  ==========       =====



  Sierra Pacific Power Company

                               Three Months Ended       Six Months Ended
                                     June 30,                June 30,
                               ------------------       ----------------
                                2009        2008        2009        2008
                                ----        ----        ----        ----
  Operating revenues          $262,862    $268,567    $581,593    $604,439
  Other operating expenses     $40,890     $34,765     $84,905     $68,270
  Maintenance                   $8,900      $7,864     $15,766     $14,336
  Depreciation and
   amortization                $26,813     $22,018     $52,498     $43,458
  Income taxes                  $4,752      $3,952     $13,830     $13,611
  Taxes other than income       $5,360      $5,198     $10,884     $10,726

  Operating Income             $28,833     $24,539     $65,456     $58,508

  Other income (expense):
  Allowance for other funds
   used during construction       $996      $5,421      $1,593     $10,520
  Income taxes                 $(1,217)      $(953)    $(1,425)    $(4,527)

  Interest Charges (net of
   AFUDC)                      $16,759     $15,879     $34,686     $32,466

  Net Income                   $14,804     $10,849     $33,940     $35,133
                               =======     =======     =======     =======


  Capital Structure                June 30, 2009          June 30, 2008
                                   -------------          -------------
  Current maturities of
   long-term debt                   $-         0.0%     $1,662         0.1%
  Long-term debt             1,373,992        58.6%  1,261,788        55.8%
                             ---------        ----   ---------        ----
  Total Debt                $1,373,992        58.6% $1,263,450        55.9%
  Common shareholder's
   equity                      970,218        41.4%    998,221        44.1%
                               -------        ----     -------        ----
  Total Capitalization
   (including current
   maturities of long-term
   debt)                    $2,344,210       100.0% $2,261,671       100.0%
                            ==========       =====  ==========       =====


Gross margin is presented by Nevada Power Company d/b/a NV Energy and Sierra Pacific Power Company d/b/a NV Energy in order to provide information by segment that management believes aids the reader in determining how profitable the electric and gas business is at the most fundamental level. Gross margin, which is a "non-GAAP financial measure" as defined in accordance with SEC rules, provides a measure of income available to support the other operating expenses of the business and is utilized by management in its analysis of its business.

Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company believe presenting gross margin allows the reader to assess the impact of regulatory treatment and their overall regulatory environment on a consistent basis. Gross margin, as a percentage of revenue, is primarily impacted by the fluctuations in regulated electric and natural gas supply costs versus the fixed rates collected from customers. While these fluctuating costs impact gross margin as a percentage of revenue, they only impact gross margin amounts if the costs cannot be passed through to customers. Gross margin, which Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company calculate as operating revenues less fuel and purchased power costs, provides a measure of income available to support the other operating expenses. Gross margin changes based on such factors as general base rate adjustments (which are required to be filed by statute every three years) and reflect Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company's strategy to increase internal power generation versus purchased power, which generates no gross margin. Reconciliations between GAAP operating revenues and gross margin are provided in tables herein. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered as substitutes for the GAAP measures.

                   RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
                                    Gross Margin
                               (Dollars in Thousands)
                                     (Unaudited)

  Nevada Power Company
                                Three Months Ended      Six Months Ended
                                     June 30,                June 30,
                                ------------------      ----------------
                                2009          2008      2009        2008
                                ----          ----      ----        ----
  Operating Revenues:
    Electric                   $575,769   $570,223   $1,012,298  $1,039,395

  Energy Costs:
    Fuel for power generation  $140,333   $209,920     $294,395    $373,941
    Purchased Power            $165,292   $164,087     $253,498    $257,837
    Deferred energy costs-net   $59,809    $(9,691)     $97,999     $36,084
                                -------   --------      -------     -------
                               $365,434   $364,316     $645,892    $667,862
                               --------   --------     --------    --------

  Gross Margin                 $210,335   $205,907     $366,406    $371,533
                               ========   ========     ========    ========


  Sierra Pacific Power Company
                                Three Months Ended       Six Months Ended
                                     June 30,                June 30,
                                ------------------       ----------------
                                2009          2008       2009        2008
                                ----          ----       ----        ----
  Operating Revenues:
    Electric                   $230,914   $236,415     $468,652    $486,693
    Gas                         $31,948    $32,152     $112,941    $117,746
                                -------    -------     --------    --------
                               $262,862   $268,567     $581,593    $604,439
                               --------   --------     --------    --------

  Energy Costs:
    Fuel for power generation   $63,952    $60,705     $139,994    $118,292
    Purchased Power             $29,678    $97,363      $66,859    $187,469
    Deferral of energy
     costs-electric-net         $29,780   $(11,695)     $41,576     $(3,188)
    Gas purchased for resale    $19,916    $27,632      $90,188     $94,528
    Deferral of energy
     costs-gas, net              $3,988    $(3,774)       $(363)    $(1,571)
                                 ------   --------        -----     -------
                               $147,314   $170,231     $338,254    $395,530
                               --------   --------     --------    --------

  Energy Costs by Segment:
    Electric                   $123,410   $146,373     $248,429    $302,573
    Gas                          23,904     23,858       89,825      92,957
                                 ------     ------       ------      ------
                               $147,314   $170,231     $338,254    $395,530
                               --------   --------     --------    --------

  Gross Margin by Segment:
    Electric                   $107,504    $90,042     $220,223    $184,120
    Gas                           8,044      8,294       23,116      24,789
                                  -----      -----       ------      ------
                               $115,548    $98,336     $243,339    $208,909
                               ========    =======     ========    ========

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: kwalquist@sppc.com

SOURCE: NV Energy, Inc.

CONTACT: Analysts, Britta Carlson, +1-702-402-5624, or Media, Adam
Grant, +1-702-402-5222, both of NV Energy, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.nvenergy.com/