<ARTICLE> OPUR1 <LEGEND> THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM SPR'S FINANCIAL RECORDS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000741508 <NAME> SIERRA PACIFIC RESOURCES <PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1999 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 4,073,529 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 105,880 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 316,269 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 752,008 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,247,686 <COMMON> 78,414 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1,293,990 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 104,725 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,477,129 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 50,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,474,203 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 100,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 654,979 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 198,126 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 82,424 <LEASES-CURRENT> 4,583 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,206,242 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 5,247,686 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,309,131 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 26,086 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,111,887 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,137,973 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 171,158 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (142) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 171,016 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 99,960 <NET-INCOME> 71,056 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,396 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 51,750 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 73,514 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 81,731 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 211,089 <EPS-BASIC> .83 <EPS-DILUTED> .83