Message-ID: <21660556.1075845194945.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 07:07:02 -0700 (PDT) From: communications.newpower@enron.com Subject: POWER BRIEFS - June 8, 2001 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-From: NewPower Communications, X-To: X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Lay, Kenneth\Lay, Kenneth\Inbox X-Origin: LAY-K X-FileName: Lay, Kenneth.pst POWER BRIEFS FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2001 NEWPOWER IN THE NEWS - =20 NEWPOWER TESTS CONSERVATION TOOLS - [Philadelphia Business Journal, May 31.= ] The next time you forget whether you left the thermostat on, there's a ch= ance you could turn it off with your cell phone. You could, that is, if y= ou're from one of 300 households in Philadelphia that will participate in o= ne of three pilot programs that will link electricity meters to the Interne= t. http://philadelphia.bcentral.com/philadelphia/stories/2001/05/28/daily27= .html=20 NEWPOWER SEES SAVINGS FROM SMART ENERGY TECHNOLOGY - [Reuters, June 1.] New= Power said it will conduct three pilot programs in Philadelphia to test con= sumers' reaction to "smart" energy saving technology. These new products r= equire "smart"' meters that tell a "smart"' device to operate when the cos= t of generating electricity is cheapest?" Energy restructuring leads to tec= hnological innovation, efficiency and environmental benefits,"' said H. Eug= ene Lockhart, NewPower's president and chief executive officer. "`These pi= lots are a wonderful example of control being shifted from the utility to t= he consumer. The nation's move to energy restructuring makes it possible fo= r consumers to better manage their energy needs." http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/0= 10601/n0179210.html ENERGY-SAVING TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED IN PILOT PROGRAM - [Philadelphia Inquir= er, June 1.] NewPower said it would launch three residential pilot programs= in Philadelphia this month, to gauge consumer response to energy-saving te= chnology. The three programs will include 100 homes each and consist of a = time-of-use metering pilot, a heating and air-conditioning control pilot, a= nd a Web-based interactive pilot, which lets customers control their thermo= stat from any Web-enabled device. NewPower said it wanted to learn how cons= umers react to pricing and features of so-called demand-side management mea= sures, and how to make them profitable. =09 NEWPOWER TO LEARN IMPACT OF HI-TECH METERS, CONTROLS ON CUSTOMERS LIVES - [= Restructuring Today, June 1.] NewPower is taking the latest in DSM technolo= gy to the people in an effort to see how they react?.Tim Vail, NewPower's v= ice president of energy technology solutions, is not doing a technology bet= a test. "We want to learn consumer acceptance and responses to the produc= ts." A critical Vail target is learning how residential consumer lifestyle= s compare with load profiles so test volunteers will have to fill out a num= ber of questionnaires about what they were doing at a given time. The powe= r industry has long bunched up ratepayers into classes using an average to = picture typical use of customers. "We've got empirical data from a variety= of sources but we want to get real world experience with it," Vail noted, = a major departure from most metering pilots underway these days?"How do we = take this technology and meld it into a product that consumers will want an= d use - that's the critical component of restructuring," he added?"Educatio= n is a major component of the whole piece for us," Vail said. =09 SAVING ENERGY IS HOT AGAIN - [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 3.] Not since t= he oil crisis of the 1970s has the public's interest in energy conservation= seemed so high. Even President Bush touts the value of conservation, desp= ite criticism from environmentalists that his administration's policies rel= y too much on increased energy production and too little on energy efficien= cy and conservation. John Hangar, a former PUC member and current president= of PennFuture, an environmental and consumer advocacy organization, wants = electric utilities to install time-of-use meters in customers' homes. . . A= t least one company has leap-frogged over state regulators. NewPower began = installing energy-saving technology in 300 households in the greater Philad= elphia area. "These pilots are a wonderful example of control being shifte= d from the utility to the customer. The nation's move to energy restructuri= ng makes it possible for consumers to better manage their energy costs," sa= id H. Eugene Lockhart, NewPower's president and chief executive officer. ht= tp://www.post-gazette.com/businessnews/20010603conservebiz3.asp=20 TWO MARKETERS CUT NATURAL GAS PRICES - [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June = 1.] Atlantans are getting a small break on their energy bills: Two leading = Georgia natural gas marketers have reduced prices following a sharp drop in= wholesale prices. No. 1 marketer Georgia Natural Gas Services reduced its = variable price --- the price subject to monthly change --- for June by 4.5 = percent. Shell Energy, the No. 3 marketer, marked down its fixed price, gua= ranteed for one year, by 5 percent and its variable price by 3 percent?NewP= ower, a new entrant in Georgia's unregulated natural gas market, is offerin= g to lock in a gas price of 74.9 cents per therm for two years. That compar= es with one-year offers of 84.9 cents per therm from Georgia Natural Gas an= d 76.9 cents from Shell Energy.=20 NEWPOWER TO START GAS SALES TO PG&E CUSTOMERS IN CALIFORNIA - [Bloomberg, J= une 4.] NewPower is offering northern California residents two-year fixed-p= rice natural-gas contracts to lure customers from PG&E Corp.'s gas utility.= In Sunnyvale, California, NewPower is offering is 98 cents a therm, or $9= .80 per million British thermal units, and a $2.99 monthly fee, NewPower's = Web site said. NewPower will offer gas service in 37 California counties, s= pokeswoman Gael Doar said. http://www.bloomberg.com/fgcgi.cgi?T=3Dmarketsqu= ote99_news.ht&s=3DAOxv3sBTUTmV3UG93 =20 NATURAL GAS OFFERED AT FIXED RATE - [The Freemont Argus and Oakland Tribune= , June 5] New York state-based NewPower is offering California residents a = fixed-rate contract for natural gas, a commodity that saw big price spikes = this past winter due to a supply shortage. Residential customers in PG&E's= service territory who commit to a two-year contract would pay 98 cents for= each therm of natural gas. There would also be a monthly service fee of $2= .99. http://www.argus-ang.com/default.asp?puid=3D16&spuid=3D16&indx=3D91011= 6&article=3Don=20 PRIX FIXE NATURAL GAS NOW AVAILABLE - [Contra Costa Times, June 5.] With a= n offer of a two-year price guarantee, NewPower has set out to capture a po= rtion of the retail natural gas market now served by the bankrupt utility u= nit of PG&E Corp. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/leads/stories_one/en= ron_20010605.htm=20 NEWPOWER OFFERS FIXED RATES - [Gas Daily, June 5.] Gas customers in Pacifi= c Gas & Electric's service territory can lock into a fixed rate with NewPow= er, a subsidiary of New Power Holdings. The national gas and electric mark= eter yesterday began to offer two-year fixed-rate to customers in several = counties in Northern California. "NewPower is enormously pleased to provid= e California consumers, who've been buffeted by volatile energy prices, wit= h a stable gas contract," said Eugene Lockhart, president and CEO of The Ne= w Power Co. SELLING STABLE PRICES WORKS FOR NEWPOWER IN CALIFORNIA - [Restructuring Tod= ay, June 6.] Yes, the California market is open for retail gas competition.= It's been open for maybe a decade but few have found the market attractiv= e until now. NewPower is going in selling a two-year fixed price package t= hat really appeals in today's world of price spiking. The fixed price insul= ates customers from price spikes in the volatile California marketplace. Ne= wPower's Terri Cohen relates that the firm expects to sign up 16,000 custom= ers. They'll have the opportunity to lock in gas at 98? a therm, compared = to an average PG&E price last January of $1.40 a therm. The LDCs change th= eir price monthly with a filing to the PUC based on what their costs have b= een. NewPower's deal is available to retail customers in 37 northern Calif= ornia counties, including San Francisco and Sacramento. Before the announce= ment, NewPower already had 600,000 gas and electric customers in 19 markets= . OTHER ENERGY NEWS - NewPower shares news items weekly to inform employees a= bout coverage of the energy industry. Publication of a news clip is not an= endorsement of its viewpoint or accuracy. SURVEY SHOWS CUSTOMERS OVERWHELMINGLY FAVOR PRICE STABILITY - [Maxim Consul= ting Press Release, June 1.] A nationwide survey shows that gas customers = want their local gas utility to pursue strategies that will prevent future = price spikes. The survey results also suggest ways for utilities to regain = customer loyalty diminished in the wake of last winter's price increases. T= he results of the survey were recently presented to a group of utility exec= utives and regulators at the New England Conference of Public Utilities Com= missions. The survey shows that customers overwhelmingly prefer programs th= at mitigate price volatility, such as fixed price and capped price programs= . http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=3DCoXCtqbWbtKvgmdi0&FQ=3D%22ma= xim%20consulting%22&Nav=3Dna-search-&StoryTitle=3D%22maxim%20consulting%22= =20 SHELL UNIT SIGNS DEAL ON NATURAL GAS PRICES - [Cleveland Plain Dealer, June= 2.] Shell Energy Services Inc. yesterday became the next big player in Nor= theast Ohio's quickly changing utility services industry. The Texas-based = subsidiary of Shell Energy signed a one-year deal with Northeast Ohio Publi= c Energy Council to provide discounted natural gas to customers in NOPEC co= mmunities across eight counties, beginning in September. http://www.clevela= nd.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/ne= ws/991474210115554.xml=20 9 CITIES UNITE FOR GREATER MIGHT - [Boston Globe, June 3.] Imagine if nine= Massachusetts cities combined their muscle to lower their health-care prem= iums and energy costs, and unify plans for affordable housing and developin= g jobs. Those are among the hopes of city leaders who participated in a ne= w cooperative effort that kicked off Wednesday. At the meeting, officials = from Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Revere,= and Somerville discussed ways their communities might be able to better wo= rk together. Possible areas of collaboration include joint purchasing and f= orging common strategies. http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/154/north/9_cit= ies_unite_for_greater_mightP.shtml=20 ON BUSH'S BRAND OF ENERGY DIVERSITY - [TIME.Com, June 4.] The Bush administ= ration's national energy policy is meant to stimulate a national debate. It= is certainly doing that. Whatever you believe about its recommendations, t= he report is a surprisingly well-crafted overview of America's energy situa= tion. http://www.time.com/time/business/printout/0,8816,128829,00.html=20 THE BATTLE OF CALIFORNIA - [Newsweek, June 4.] There are two dueling storyl= ines for California's energy crisis. In the Gray Davis version a noble publ= ic servant who inherited a flawed electricity deregulation scheme from his = Republican predecessor is trying to defend California's shellshocked consum= ers against the depredations of greedy "out of state" energy producers and = an uncaring White House. In the Republican scenario, a desperate politician= , worried about his falling poll numbers, is trying to shift the blame to t= he White House. http://www.msnbc.com/news/582445.asp#BODY ELECTRICITY USAGE SHRINKS BY 11% - [San Francisco Chronicle, June 4.] By tu= rning off lamps, turning up thermostats and buying energy-efficient light b= ulbs, the people of California helped reduce the state's electricity consum= ption last month 11 percent below the May 2000 level, more than was expecte= d, Davis administration officials said yesterday.=20 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2001/06/04/MN183543.D= TL=20 BINGAMAN, SENATE ENERGY CHIEF, WILL BLOCK BUSH PRODUCTION PLAN - [Bloomberg= , June 5.] Bush opposes caps on energy prices; Bingaman is cosponsor of leg= islation to impose caps on wholesale energy prices in California although, = according to a spokesman, he'd prefer the Federal Energy Regulatory Commiss= ion do that on its own.=20 Bingaman says rather than offer his own plan now, he'll try to sit down wit= h Republicans and negotiate something both sides can agree on. http://quote= .bloomberg.com/fgcgi.cgi?ptitle=3DEnergy%20News&s1=3Dblk&tp=3Dad_topright_e= nergy&refer=3Dtopfin&T=3Dmarkets_bfgcgi_content99.ht&s2=3Dblk&bt=3Dad_posit= ion1_energy&middle=3Dad_frame2_energy&s=3DAOxxZjBXlQmluZ2Ft=20 PREPAID POWER PROPOSED - [Associated Press, June 5.] Operators of the regio= n's electricity grid recommended yesterday that consumers pay extra to ensu= re that New England has enough electricity generation capacity. Federal re= gulators had ordered the new charge in December -- even though New England = now has plenty of generation capacity -- but a court challenge has kept it = from being implemented. The rate would go into effect July 1, if approved b= y federal regulators. The proposal requires companies that buy electricity= from generators to pay those generators to maintain enough extra capacity = to accommodate peak demand. If the companies don't pay enough for extra ca= pacity, they are forced to pay a "deficiency charge." http://www.telegram.c= om/news/page_one/10nelectric1.html=20 ALARMED CALIFORNIANS CUT ELECTRIC POWER USE - [Washington Post, June 6.] Fe= arful of blackouts and expensive utility bills, Californians have begun con= serving electricity at a rate the state has rarely seen. New figures show = that California residents and businesses reduced power consumption by 11 pe= rcent in May. http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/157/nation/Alarmed_Californ= ians_cut_electric_power_use+.shtml=20 CONSUMERS LAG ON ELECTRIC PRICE CURVE - [CBS MarketWatch, June 6.] Up to no= w, many California electricity users have been opening their monthly bills = and muttering to themselves: "What energy crisis?" Of course there have be= en periodic blackouts for some, and many utility customers have seen their = bills rise. But a sizable number of consumers have not seen a big change in= their electric bills. That's all about to change. And it's just in time,= because wholesale electricity prices are coming down but state-approved en= ergy increases are taking effect. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp= ?print=3D1&guid=3D{AD628F25-0EB8-4EA4-A8FB-E1617477E3D0}&siteid=3Dyhoo=20 MEDIA QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "What's more beneficial, move forward on the larg= er agenda or trudge around through the mud on this? Why beat our heads agai= nst the wall on price caps when we'll never be any closer on it? If we mov= ed forward, it would look like a partisan bloodbath." - A GOP Aide, CNN, J= une 6, 2001 http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/06/06/congress.energy/index= .html=20 JUST 9 DAYS 'TIL FATHER'S DAY - THINK NEWPOWER - If you're planning on buyi= ng Dad a tie this Father's Day, you're still living in the '90's. Instead,= consider buying a gift that focuses on a more pressing, "2001" topic he wi= ll appreciate - energy efficiency and savings. Saving on energy and energy efficiency have been a concern for most Dads, a= nd "shut off the lights, I'm not made of money" has been roared by Dads nat= ionwide. NewPower offers some Father's Day gift ideas that will light up hi= s life: The Power Planner allows the family to save energy when using even the most= energy-hungry appliances. A plug that is simple to use (just plugs into a = wall outlet), it can reduce the energy usage of some motorized appliances b= y up to 23 percent. It's great for the refrigerator, window air condition= ing unit or gas clothes dryer. It's only $39.95, plus shipping and handlin= g. It will pay for itself. MoleculAir? Filters slip into the home heating and cooling systems where th= ey capture allergy-causing particles, dust, pollen, pet dander and dirt tha= t contaminate the air and clog the heating and cooling systems, often causi= ng them to expend more energy. As an added service, Dad will get a bi-mont= hly reminder (by mail or e-mail) to change the filters. The price of the f= ilters runs from $39.95 to $59.95, plus shipping and handling. The EnergyPack offers 300-watts of portable power. Whether Dad is boating,= camping, indoors or outoors, he has a rechargeable generator (think portab= le outlet) with him. He can use it to jump-start his car or to recharge hi= s cell phone. It's small enough to carry with him, yet powerful enough to = run his laptop for seven hours. It is $159.95 plus shipping and handling (= a more powerful, 600-watt EnergyPack is also available for $279.95). It's not to late to order these items in time for Father's Day. Call 1-866= -NEWPOWER. NewPower is the innovative energy source consumers can trust. OF INTEREST * * * J.P. Morgan (JPM) has introduced a report launching its s= mall-cap strategy (a small cap stock is defined by JPM as one with less tha= n $3 billion in capitalization). The report provides small-cap stock picks,= insights and data to leverage JPM analysts' views. The first report (5/16= /01) was titled "The Inefficient Frontier" because JPM believes that small = caps are often poorly followed, leading to inefficiencies from which astute= investors can profit. The report's "Trading Recommended List" includes 2= 5 stocks that JPM considers "best-positioned companies" poised for immediat= e appreciation, with a 12-month upside potential of at least 30 percent (tu= rnover on the list occurs as warranted). Among the 25 stocks on the list i= s NPW, The New Power Company, the only stock under the industry listing for= "Electric Companies."=20 Please note, news such as this is included in POWER BRIEFS to inform employ= ees about the performance of and "word on the Street" about our stock. New= Power does not endorse any one brokerage firm.=20 # # # ________________________________________ Managers, please decide whether to post or pass along copies of POWER BRIEF= S for contractors or consultants who are unable to access it on Lotus Notes= . . =20 Please send questions or comments to: NewPower.Communication@NewPower.com= =20 POWER BRIEFS is a proprietary publication for all NewPower employees and is= not intended for use by external audiences.