Wednesday, May 26, 1999 | 3:45 a.m.
The newspaper complained the PUC asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to delay action on the proposed merger of Sierra Pacific Resources and Nevada Power Co. without making the request during a public meeting.
However, Senior Deputy Attorney General Robert Auer said the PUC's general counsel, Jeffrey Parker, is who signed a motion asking the federal commission to delay action on the Nevada Power-Sierra merger.
The Washington, D.C., law firm of Verner, Lipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand filed the motion for delay, Auer said.
The federal regulatory body threw out the motion and approved the $2.5 billion merger, which remains pending.
"PUC's lawyers in Washington, D.C., acted on their own judgment and authority when filing the motion in order to protect PUC interests in the FERC proceeding," Auer continued.
"Based on the foregoing, we conclude there was no open meeting law violation regarding this matter," Auer wrote.
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