Sierra Pacific Resources
Contact: Sonya Headen
Phone: (702) 367-5222

For Immediate Release

Las Vegas, NVÂ- Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE: SRP) today announced the appointment of Roberto R. Denis as vice president of energy supply.

Denis, who has been affiliated with the electric utility industry for more than 30 years, most recently was vice president of market and regulatory affairs for FPL Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Florida-based FPL Group, Inc., one of the nation's largest electric utility holding companies.

Walter M. Higgins, chairman and CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources, said,"We especially welcome Roberto to our team as we emerge from the effects of the Western energy crisis of recent years. His diversified range of experience should prove invaluable in helping to enhance and restore our company's operational and financial strengths, and his vast knowledge will augment our ability to secure the reliable, cost-effective power supplies our customers need. Roberto's principal responsibilities will be power and fuel purchasing as well as power plant development and operations. He also will be heavily involved in resource planning, among other management duties."

After joining FPL Group in 1972, Denis held a number of key management positions with FPL. His responsibilities through the years included development, implementation and administration of wholesale energy interchange, transmission and purchased power arrangements. He also was responsible for all of FPL's system planning activities, including load forecasting, generation and transmission system expansion. More recently with FPL Energy he was responsible for initiating and managing all state and federal regulatory strategies throughout the United States.

In his new position, Denis, 53, will be headquartered in Las Vegas, reporting to Walt Higgins. Effective August 11, 2003, he assumes the energy supply responsibilities that had been handled on an interim basis during the last few months by Michael Yackira, Sierra Pacific Resources'executive vice president, strategy and planning. Yackira continues with his normal responsibilities as executive vice president.

Denis holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, cum laude, from Georgia Institute of Technology and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Florida. In December 2001, he was elected chairman of the Participants Committee of the New England Power Pool and has held that position since.

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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