United Way Receives $100,000 Grant from Nevada Power for Utility Bill Assistance.

Business Editors

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2003

-United Way of Southern Nevada will announce a $100,000 grant from Nevada Power Co. (NPC) to fund project REACH (Relief through Energy Assistance to prevent Customer Hardships), during a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 24, at United Way offices located at 1660 E. Flamingo Road.

Nevada Power will make a $100,000 energy assistance grant to United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN), which will in turn work with its existing network of partner agencies to administer the funds. With this grant, NPC and UWSN, partners in the community since 1958, will provide assistance in paying Nevada Power bills to vulnerable adults over the age of 62, seniors who are isolated, individuals with disabilities, and medically fragile persons in Southern Nevada who may not be familiar with the social service process (including those relying on life-support equipment, patients with special heating/cooling needs, persons being treated for life-threatening diseases and persons with compromised immune systems).

"We feel overwhelmed by the generosity and sense of community exemplified by Nevada Power's $100,000 grant. Working with our network of partner agencies, this donation will increase our capacity to focus on the most pressing needs in our community," said Dan Goulet, president and CEO of UWSN.

UWSN will utilize the services of its network of nonprofit partner agencies to identify and administer Project REACH assistance. Those agencies include: Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, EOB Community Action Partnership, HELP of Southern Nevada, Lutheran Social Services of Nevada, Henderson Allied Community Advocates, Jewish Family Service Agency, Nevada Association of Latin Americans and Salvation Army Clark County Command. In addition, the State of Nevada Division of Aging, Clark County Senior Advocacy Program, the City of Henderson Senior Center and the Family Resource Coalition in Laughlin will assist in identifying needs in the target populations.

"Nevada Power has committed resources to support Project REACH because of our belief in giving back to the community," said Pat Shalmy, president, Nevada Power Co. "This partnership demonstrates Nevada Power's dedication to customers and to the service agencies who will administer the grant," Shalmy added.

In addition to its $100,000 REACH grant, which is funded by Nevada Power Co. shareholders, and not by the utility's customers, Nevada Power Co. and its employees have collectively contributed more than $2.6 million to United Way of Southern Nevada over the past five years through the company's annual United Way employee campaign and corporate gift.

United Way of Southern Nevada funds more than 130 local programs devoted to ensuring basic human needs, improving the lives of children, families and the elderly, providing developmental opportunities and promoting the health and wellness of local residents. For more information on United Way of Southern Nevada, call 702-734-2273 or visit its Web site at www.uwaysn.org.

Headquartered in Nevada, Sierra Pacific Resources is a holding company whose principal subsidiaries are Nevada Power Co., the electric utility for most of southern Nevada, and Sierra Pacific Power Co., the electric utility for most of northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area of California. Sierra Pacific Power Co. also distributes natural gas in the Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada. Other subsidiaries include the Tuscarora Gas Pipeline Co., which owns a 50 percent interest in an interstate natural gas transmission partnership, several unregulated energy services companies and Sierra Pacific Communications, a telecommunications network development company.