Message-ID: <5316642.1075855892439.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 04:51:00 -0800 (PST) From: press.release@enron.com To: all.worldwide@enron.com Subject: ENRON HOSTS ANNUAL ANALYST CONFERENCE PROVIDES BUSINESS OVERVIEW AND GOALS FOR 2000 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-From: Press Release X-To: All Enron Worldwide X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Sally_Beck_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Press releases X-Origin: Beck-S X-FileName: sbeck.nsf HOUSTON - Enron Corp. hosted its annual equity analyst conference today in= =20 Houston. Ken Lay, Enron chairman and chief executive officer, opened the= =20 conference by highlighting Enron=01,s tremendous growth across all business= es=20 and the outstanding 700 percent return to shareholders over the past decade= . Enron presented key objectives for 2000: ? Continued strong growth in the core Wholesale Energy businesses. ? Break-out performance from Retail Energy Services. ? Rapid development of Enron Broadband Services. Enron=01,s ability to extend core skills and competencies to new markets wa= s a=20 recurring theme throughout the day. Wholesale Energy Business Growth prospects remain strong for Wholesale Energy Operations and Services= ,=20 Enron=01,s largest business. Wholesale energy growth in North America is= =20 expected to be driven by the continuing deregulation of power markets in th= e=20 United States and large-scale energy outsourcing by utilities and large=20 energy consumers. Enron expects to continue to broaden its early lead acro= ss=20 the European continent as markets quickly open to competition. Finally,=20 Enron is rapidly expanding its wholesale presence in other markets such as= =20 Japan, where large customers will be permitted to choose their electricity= =20 provider in March 2000. EnronOnline will provide additional wholesale growth as incremental sales a= re=20 generated through this innovative, Internet-based transaction system. Over= =20 450 customers around the world have used EnronOnline and over 10,000=20 transactions have been completed since its introduction in late November=20 1999. Yesterday, EnronOnline transaction levels reached a new record with= =20 over 700 transactions, representing a notional value of $250 million. =20 Transaction processing costs with EnronOnline are significantly lower than= =20 costs associated with traditional transaction methods. Enron=01,s Gas Pipeline Group is also well positioned to continue growing, = with=20 expansions planned or underway on several of its systems. Retail Energy Services With over 16,500 facilities under management, the infrastructure is in plac= e=20 to service customers worldwide. As the strong contracting momentum=20 continues, Enron Energy Services is poised to rapidly increase earnings in= =20 2000. Enron Energy Services=01, goal for 2000 is to sign new contracts=20 representing $16 billion in future expenditures by customers for energy and= =20 energy services, nearly double the level in 1999. Enron Broadband Services The new name of Enron=01,s communications business, Enron Broadband Service= s,=20 reflects its role in the very fast growing market for premium broadband=20 services. Enron is deploying an open, flexible global broadband network=20 controlled by software intelligence, which precludes the need to invest in = a=20 traditional point-to-point fiber network. This Enron Intelligent Network i= s=20 widely interconnected to both other wholesale bandwidth carriers and to=20 Internet service providers, thus providing the platform for two new Enron= =20 business centers, bandwidth intermediation and broadband content delivery. A direct transfer of Enron=01,s core market making and risk management skil= ls=20 from its energy businesses, bandwidth intermediation will provide=20 capacity-holders a vast array of alternatives for flexible, low cost=20 capacity. Enron will also provide premium broadband content services, such= =20 as high-quality video-streaming and large broadband file transfer, with=20 differentiated levels of quality in a usage-based business model. As announced in a separate release, Enron also reached an agreement with Su= n=20 Microsystems that provides for accelerated development of broadband Interne= t=20 services. Enron is one of the world=01,s leading electricity, natural gas and=20 communications companies. The company, which owns approximately $34 billio= n=20 in energy and communications assets, produces electricity and natural gas,= =20 develops, constructs and operates energy facilities worldwide, delivers=20 physical commodities and financial and risk management services to customer= s=20 around the world, and is developing an intelligent network platform to=20 facilitate online business. Enron=01,s Internet address is www.enron.com, = and=20 the stock is traded under the ticker symbol, =01&ENE.=018 ## This press release includes forward looking statements within the meaning o= f=20 Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities= =20 Exchange Act of 1934. Although Enron believes that its expectations are bas= ed=20 on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its goals will be= =20 achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ=20 materially from those in the forward looking statements herein include=20 political developments in foreign countries, the ability to penetrate new= =20 wholesale and retail natural gas, electricity and broadband services market= s,=20 including the energy outsource market, in the United States and Europe, the= =20 timing and extent of changes in prices for crude oil, natural gas,=20 electricity and those relating to broadband services and content, the timin= g=20 and effect of changes in interest rates, the timing and success of Enron=01= ,s=20 efforts to develop domestic and international power, pipeline,=20 communications, internet-related and other infrastructure projects, and=20 conditions of the capital markets and equity markets during the periods=20 covered by the forward looking statements.