Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Karl Walquist/Robert Sagan
Phone: (775)834-4834 / (775)834-3891

For Immediate Release

"Exterminate the'Millennium Bug'" is a new pamphlet being offered to Sierra Pacific Power Co. customers to help explain"The Year 2000 (Y2k)" challenge facing computer systems worldwide.

The potential problems posed by Y2k, which will cause many systems to identify"Jan. 1, 2000" as"Jan. 1, 1900," are so pervasive that industry experts estimate it could cost between $200 billion and $600 billion to fix them.

Among the problems that could result from Y2k are system crashes, loss of historical archives, and malfunctions in a building's elevators, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

"This is a public service to Sierra Pacific's customers," said Victor Pena, the utility's vice president, technology, information services and business development."We believe the more customers are aware of the importance and potential problems involved, the less will be Y2k's impact.

"This pamphlet also explains what we are doing to ensure that all of our computer systems will be Year 2000 compatible so that electric, natural gas and water operations will not be disrupted by the Millennium Bug," Pena said.

The"Exterminate the'Millennium Bug"'pamphlet is available free by writing Sierra Pacific Power Co., 6100 Neil Road, Reno, NV, 89520, Att: Millennium Bug. Or phone 834-4827 for a copy.