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Venetian Applies to Buy Electricity from Sempra

Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS -- The Venetian has filed an application to buy electricity from a competitor of Nevada Power Co., state regulators disclosed Monday.

Sheldon Adelson's Las Vegas Sands Inc. owns the property, which includes the 4,000-room casino resort, 500,000-square-foot indoor shopping center, and the Sands Expo and Convention Center.

It needs 32 megawatts of power on peak and intends to buy electricity from Sempra Energy Solutions. The Venetian reported it could be ready to start buying power from Sempra by Jan. 1 if the Public Utilities Commission rules that The Venetian's departure will not harm the utility's remaining customers.

David Chairez, a spokesman for the Public Utilities Commission, said 14 companies have sought to leave either Nevada Power of Las Vegas or Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Reno. Of those, four have filed documents necessary to leave the regulated utilities prior to deadlines. Barrick Goldstrike Mines was denied permission to leave the utility system, because the PUC determined the mines' application was incomplete.

Many large customers filed multiple applications to buy from competitors of the regulated utilities but have failed to file compliance documents prior to deadlines.

This is the first application from The Venetian, which had no immediate comment.

Sonya Headen, a spokeswoman for Nevada Power, said the key executive was unavailable for comment but said dealing with the exit applications "has been a positive process involving all the parties."

Nevada Power, the staff of the Public Utilities Commission and the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection have worked cooperatively on the applications, she said.

Sempra is part of the similarly named company that owns San Diego Gas & Electric.

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