Sierra Pacific Resources Wins EEI Supplier Diversity Innovative Approaches Award

Business Wire, May 8, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- The Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE:SRP) Supplier Diversity Program will receive the Supplier Diversity Innovative Approaches Award for 2007 from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) on Wednesday, May 21, during the EEI Supplier Diversity Conference's host company event and awards dinner in Denver, Colo.

"We are very proud of the success that our Supplier Diversity program has achieved since it represents not only good business practices, but it solidifies our company's commitment to diversity," said Michael Yackira, president and CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources. "While our program has received much recognition recently, the EEI award is also significant because the honor is bestowed upon us from our peers in the electric utility industry."

According to EEI, Sierra Pacific showed innovation in the following areas:

* Significantly exceeded corporate goal to increase spending with diverse suppliers over 2006 results

* Targeted areas of diverse supplier spending that needed focus and successfully did so in 2007

* Top down executive support and emphasis on supplier diversity

* Targeted innovations to fit company's needs such as:

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The company was also recently honored with two awards at the Nevada Minority Business Council's annual Excellence Awards Celebration. Sierra Pacific Resources was named the NMBC's Corporation of the Year, and company employee Stephen Barlas of corporate contracting was named Buyer/Purchasing Agent of the Year.

The Corporation of the Year nomination was judged on a variety of criteria including innovative approaches to outreach, corporate spend with minority enterprises and other contributions in support of minority business development. Other nominees for Corporation of the Year were MGM Mirage, Southwest Gas and The Venetian.

Yackira added: "We recognize that supplier diversity is critical to our success, and we encourage the inclusion of minority enterprises in the purchasing process. A diverse base of suppliers helps us remain competitive and ensures the economic vitality of our community."

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.