Media Contact: Faye I. Andersen, (775) 834-4822

Sierra Pacific Power will be discontinuing walk-in service at the company's Fallon office on Maine Street, effective March 31, 2008, according to Gretchen Djukanovich, manager of customer contact for the utility.  She said the utility is consolidating resources in order to be more cost-efficient, and that additional telephone and Internet options for customers have reduced the need for walk-in service.

Although walk-in service will no longer be available at the office, customers will still be able to start, stop, transfer service, make payment arrangements and discuss billing issues over the telephone by calling 1-800-962-4182.  They can call the same toll free number to report electrical outages.

Field operations personnel will continue to be based at Sierra Pacific's Maine Street location in Fallon to maintain equipment and respond to outages, as will utility designers who work with local builders to plan electrical installations and new construction.

"Our customers have more options today than ever before to conduct routine business office transactions,"Djukanovich said. Ã¢â‚¬Å“We are continually looking for ways to maximize efficiencies and develop more cost-effective ways of serving our customers.”

Payments can still be made by U.S. Mail; by automatic withdrawal from the customer's bank account via Electric Check; and locally at Raley's, 2103 West Williams in Fallon; and Scolari's Food& Drug, 1400 Highway 95A North in Fernley.  In addition, customers can view and pay their bill online over the Internet or pay by check, credit card or ATM over the telephone, which includes a processing fee.  More information about these options is available on the company's website,www.sierrapacific.com.

Customers will also receive notices in their Sierra Pacific bills regarding this change, Djukanovich said.

Walk-in service was discontinued two years ago in other rural communities in northern Nevada and northeastern Nevada served by Sierra Pacific.