Media Contacts: 
South– Chelsie Campbell,  (702) 402-5252
North– Karl Walquist, (775) 834-3891

Las Vegas and Reno -- Sierra Pacific Power and Nevada Power companies announced today that two walk-in customer service operations facilities will close as of the close of business Friday, October 31. This move is due in part to the large number of customers who utilize other options including more than 180 Shop& Pay locations statewide and the improved Online Pay program.

"Our walk-in and drive-up traffic volume has decreased over the last several years to less than four percent of our customers.  This is due in large part to our efforts to encourage customers to utilize easy, more convenient methods of paying their bills like Shop& Pay and Online Pay and our customers'positive response to options,"said Bruce Bullock, executive of customer service for Sierra Pacific and Nevada Power."These office closures do not represent a loss of jobs, but truly are a result of how much more efficient we are today because of technology."

This change will affect about 18 regular employees, and all of those will have the opportunity to remain with the company in other capacities.  In addition, customer telephone service operations will be staffed appropriately and available as normally scheduled.

As of Oct. 31, Nevada Power's Las Vegas office located at 6226 W. Sahara Ave. and Sierra Pacific's 6100 Neil Road location will no longer accept walk-in customers.  This includes all customer service transactions such as new or changes to service as well as bill payments (walk-in, drive-thru and drop box). In lieu of visiting the utilities'offices, the companies'have been and continue to offer multiple alternatives for such services as paying bills, connecting or disconnecting service, or getting answers to billing or service questions.

The Shop& Pay program offers more than 140 supermarkets, drugstores and other locations in southern Nevada and more than 40 in northern Nevada where payments can be made.  Payments are guaranteed and posted hourly.  For a list of locations, customers can visit nevadapower.com or sierrapacific.com. 

In addition, Online Pay through My Account is secure and convenient.

"These options allow everyone to save time, gas and money.  At the same time customers are helping the environment by reducing their drive-time, and ultimately moving towards paperless billing.  It's a win-win situation,"Bullock concluded.

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 also distributes natural gas in the Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada.