February 25, 2000
Sierra Pacific Resources
Contact: Rich Atkinson / Karl Walquist
Phone: (775)834-4358 / (775)834-3891

For Immediate Release

Reno, Nev. - Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE: SRP) Board of Directors, meeting Friday in Reno, approved a quarterly dividend on common stock of 25 cents per share, a continuation of the dividend level previously established. The dividend is payable May 1, 2000, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 14, 2000.

Headquartered in Reno, Nev., Sierra Pacific Resources is an investor-owned corporation whose principal subsidiaries are Nevada Power Co., the electric utility for southern Nevada, and Sierra Pacific Power Co., the electric utility for most of northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area of California, and a natural gas and water distributor in the Reno - Sparks area. Other subsidiaries include the Tuscarora Gas Pipeline Co., which owns 50 percent interest in an interstate natural gas transmission partnership, and Sierra Pacific Energy Company, an energy services company.