ScottishPower and PacifiCorp announced that they have received merger approval from the Utah Public Service Commission, the final state regulatory approval required for the merger. In addition on Monday, the Wyoming Public Service Commission issued a final written order, based on its earlier public deliberation, approving the merger. It is now anticipated that the merger will be completed within the next two weeks.

ScottishPower Chief Executive Ian Robinson said: "We are delighted with this announcement from Utah. It clears the way for us to meet our objective of completing the merger within a year of announcing the transaction."

In its interim results on 3 November 1999, ScottishPower stated that, in order to smooth the move to quarterly reporting and dividends, it would declare a dividend to ScottishPower shareholders in respect of the period up to completion. PacifiCorp shareholders will be paid a dividend by PacifiCorp in respect of the period up to completion. A further announcement giving the completion date of the merger and the amount and record date of the ScottishPower dividend will be made in due course.

For Information:

Colin McSeveny
Group Media Relations Manager     0141 636 4515

Iain Paterson
Investor Relations Manager             0141 636 4527

Editor's Notes:

1. The Utah Stipulation includes a merger-related credit to customers of $12 million per year for four years beginning in the year 2000. The net effect of this credit is a 1.7 per cent reduction on a customer's monthly bill. It will appear as a separate line item. ScottishPower and PacifiCorp will be able to offset the $12 million merger credit in years 3 and 4 to the extent that the cost reductions related to the merger are reflected in rates.
   
2. The merger has already been approved by shareholders of both companies and by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It has been cleared in the U.S. under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, and by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and has received regulatory approval in the United Kingdom and Australia.