<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FILED ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE SIX MONTHS PERIOD
ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 FOR SIERRA PACIFIC POWER COMPANY AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-30-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,469,303
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     22,580
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         110,350
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       149,051
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,751,284
<COMMON>                                             4
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      497,434
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             85,806
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 583,244
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                     73,115
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           572,490
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  95,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      418
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 427,017
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,751,284
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      309,530
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            20,702
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     236,983
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     257,685
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         51,845
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               2,959
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  54,804
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        18,793
<NET-INCOME>                                    36,011
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      3,290
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   32,721
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        32,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        3,323
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          41,902
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>Sierra Pacific Power Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sierra Pacific
Resources and as such its common stock is not publicly traded. SPPC does not
report EPS information.
</FN>