<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Company's
financial records and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000741508
<NAME> SIERRA PACIFIC RESOURCES

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,016,486
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    104,789
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         475,070
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       668,952
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               5,265,297
<COMMON>                                        78,415
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,293,994
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            153,414
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,525,823
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          237,372
<PREFERRED>                                     73,115
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,583,185
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             187,351
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 478,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  100,470
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     87,308
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 4,679
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 987,994
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                5,265,297
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      899,207
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            41,152
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     134,568
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     744,358
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        154,849
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,533
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 156,382
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        62,451
<NET-INCOME>                                    93,931
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     13,080
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   80,851
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        57,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         120,126
<EPS-BASIC>                                       1.41
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.41