Utility Restructuring

Sierra Pacific Power Co. and Nevada Bell are proposing a restructuring of management to cut costs.

Sierra Pacific has announced an overhaul of its management and operations. A study of the company, released earlier, showed that it had a work force 20% larger than other utilities of the same size. There are about 1,800 employees at Sierra Pacific, which serves electricity to northern Nevada and water and natural gas to the Reno area. Nevada Bell, which provides telephone service to northern Nevada, is proposing an early retirement plan to trim 70 of its 294 management staffers.