EXHIBIT 99

PACIFICORP                                                        NEWS RELEASE
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For further information contact:


Chris Hunter: (503) 731-2090
Scott Hibbs:  (503) 731-2123

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE..BUSINESS & FINANCIAL EDITORS..March 9, 1995


PACIFICORP AND PACIFIC TELECOM, INC. ANNOUNCE DEFINITIVE MERGER
AGREEMENT FOR A $30 PER SHARE ACQUISITION

          PacifiCorp (NYSE:PPW) and Pacific Telecom, Inc. (Nasdaq National
Market:PTCM) jointly announced today a definitive merger agreement pursuant to
which PacifiCorp Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PacifiCorp, will
acquire the outstanding shares of Pacific Telecom not owned by it for $30 per
share in cash.
          Under the terms of the agreement, a newly-formed, wholly-owned
subsidiary of PacifiCorp Holdings, Inc. will be merged with and into Pacific
Telecom and the holders of the approximately 5.3 million shares of common
stock of Pacific Telecom not held by PacifiCorp Holdings, Inc. would receive
$30 in cash in exchange for each share of Pacific Telecom common stock.  As a
result of the merger, Pacific Telecom would become an indirect, wholly-owned
subsidiary of PacifiCorp.
          The merger is conditioned upon, among other things, affirmative
approval of the merger by holders of a majority of the approximately 5.3
million shares held by the unaffiliated public shareholders.  Additional
information relating to the merger, to be considered at Pacific Telecom's
annual meeting, the date of which has not yet been determined, will be set
forth in a proxy statement which must be

submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission before being mailed to
shareholders.
          PacifiCorp Holdings, Inc. presently owns approximately 87% of the
outstanding shares of Pacific Telecom.  On November 1, 1994, it proposed to
acquire the shares not owned by it for $28 per share in cash.  Promptly
thereafter, Pacific Telecom formed a Special Committee of independent
directors to receive, study, negotiate and make recommendations to the Board
of Directors of Pacific Telecom regarding that proposal.  The merger announced
today has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Pacific
Telecom as fair to, and in the best interests of, Pacific Telecom's public
minority shareholders upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special
Committee.  In connection with its recommendation of the transaction, the
Special Committee received the written opinions of Smith Barney Inc. and CS
First Boston Corporation, to the effect that the consideration to be received
by the minority shareholders in the merger is fair, from a financial point of
view, to such holders.  The Board of Directors of PacifiCorp has received a
fairness opinion from Salomon Brothers Inc to the effect that the
consideration to be paid to minority shareholders is fair, from a financial
point of view, to PacifiCorp.


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