<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET OF NEVADA POWER COMPANY AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND THE RELATED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME, CASH FLOWS AND RETAINED EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> $1,960,709 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 13,571 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 168,535 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 196,607 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,339,422 <COMMON> 53,604 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 662,987 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 117,032 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 833,623 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 118,872 <PREFERRED> 3,463 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 805,941 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 15,250 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 200 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 89,498 <LEASES-CURRENT> 4,487 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 468,088 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,339,422 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 799,148 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 43,478 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 618,474 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 661,952 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 137,196 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 3,019 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 140,215 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 56,999 <NET-INCOME> 83,216 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,125 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 82,091 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 79,176 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 50,791 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 110,372 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.65 <EPS-DILUTED> 0<F1> <FN> <F1>INAPPLICABLE </FN>