<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