Utilities fight to keep layoffs secret

Lawyers for Reno-based Sierra Pacific Resources and Las Vegas-based Nevada Power Co. argued for the secrecy Friday during a hearing before the state Public Utilities Commission.

William Peterson, Sierra Pacific general counsel, said the companies could lose employees while the merger is pending if workers learned they might be laid off.

"The gross numbers should be sufficient to run calculations," he said.

The utilities have said 250 positions would be eliminated through the merger, but no breakdown by department has been provided. Sierra Pacific has 1,500 employees, and Nevada Power 1,900.

But PUC Chairwoman Judy Sheldrew questioned whether any state law justified secrecy of the layoff plans.

She said a law allows the PUC to shield trade secrets and sensitive commercial information from the public, but there's no provision that allows the secrecy of such layoff details.

The three-member PUC is expected to rule on the request at a later meeting.

State Consumer Advocate Fred Schmidt said regulators only want to make public the number of positions that will be eliminated in departments.

"You're still not talking about identifying a person or individual," he said. "It's aggregate numbers ... It's just a matter of degree."

Under the proposed merger, corporate staff members would be combined and work out of Reno offices.

Sierra Pacific and Nevada Power plan to continue operating separate electric utilities in Reno and Las Vegas.

State and federal regulators still must approve the merger before it goes into effect.

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