Greg: In August I submitted an idea to Enron's ThinkBank "Idea Vault" for a new business opportunity for Enron. My idea is to develop a new commodity market for exchanging wireless spectrum rights. The idea is categorized under "Commodities" and is accompanied by a report which explains in more detail the idea, background information, market conditions and why it's a tremendous opportunity for Enron. It's been 2 months since I submitted the idea, but I haven't yet received a response from anyone who may have evaluated it. I'm contacting you now for two reasons. First, it is my understanding that the Net Works group develops and launches ideas like this. And second, it's my effort to "jump start" the review process, for fears that the idea may have fallen between the cracks somewhere in the "Idea Vault" process. Included below is the preface to my report which introduces the idea for trading wireless spectrum. The entire report can be accessed and printed from the Idea Vault site, or I could send the report document electronically if that's easier. If it's not appropriate for me to have sent you this email directly, then I sincerely apologize for the mistake. If you're typically not the person who would review an idea like this, again please accept my apology, and recommend who you think that person might be. Thanks for your consideration,
Answer: Wireless Spectrum - Creating a New Commodity Market
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Answer: Real Deals From Travelocity.com
Below is a summary of the surety bond issues that I believe we need to resolve in order to feel comfortable accepting it as a form of collateral to secure a counterparty's obligations with respect to physical power purchase and sale transactions: 1. Determine whether an issuer can refuse to honor a draw made under a surety bond if after issuance, it determines that the bond was issued in violation of the appleton statute. What type of legal comfort should we receive from the issuer at the outset to get comfortable that the bond was validly issued and is enforceable against such issuer? 2. Determine the proper minimum credit rating(s) that should apply to the issuer. 3. In the form of bond that we were given, the "Now Therefore" language in the third paragraph is not acceptable. Determine what can be said in its place to establish the necessary linkage back to the transaction covered by the Confirmation. 4. Make sure that the bond can be drawn down no matter what type of Event of Default occurs, even if such event is not related to the transaction that the bond references. The Notice of Claim language needs to be written more generically to accommodate this. 5. Does credit need a "pre-bankruptcy" trigger that would require Reliant to convert all outstanding bonds into LC's or cash collateral? If so, what would this trigger be? Let me know if you have any additional issues. I will be discussing some of these with our outside counsel shortly.
Answer: Surety Bond Issues
Here are my notes from today's call. As with Monday, I've focused on getting them out as quickly as possible rather than taking extra time to re-organize them by subject. Enron's business has been grouped into three buckets: Core, Non-core, and Under Review. Core: Wholesale energy business in North America and Europe, retail energy, pipelines Non-core: Broadband, water, and international assets (i.e. EGAS). Enron has approx. $8Bn in investments in these assets, and they have produced 'dismal' returns. Enron will be exiting these businesses and will attempt to wind them up in an orderly fashion. An aggressive divestiture program has been set in motion for these assets. Under Review: EGM, EIM. These businesses are being closely examined to determine whether they have a reasonable chance of long-term viability. Required resource levels are being carefully studied. Following review, Enron will move the different portions of these businesses to core or non-core as the analysis dictates. Approximately $800MM of asset sales are under contract and expected to close in the fourth quarter. These include a gas LDC in Brazil, EcoElectrica, and our Indian E&P assets. Enron is in active pursuit of an additional private equity infusion of $500MM-1Bn. Given the current environment, raising equity in the public markets would be 'inefficient', McMahon says. Short-term liquidity is provided by the $3Bn of credit drawn upon a few weeks ago, the $1Bn of new debt, and the $1.5Bn equity infusion from Dynegy. Longer-term, the proceeds from the sale of PGE will provide liquidity. Asset sales over the next year will be used to pay down debt. McMahon described the major off-balance-sheet vehicles: Marlin was set up to hold Azurix assets. It was initially capitalized with $950MM of 144a debt and $125MM of equity (raised from Enron and institutional investors). The debt is supported by the equity and by Azurix' assets. Enron is obligated to cover any deficit at the time the debt becomes due on 3/17/03 (the 'Enron topup' obligation). The 3/17/03 date is accelerated in the event that Enron is rated below-investment-grade by any one of the three major agencies. The primary asset of Marlin is Wessex Water. As long as Wessex is worth at least $2.6Bn, there will be no Enron topup required. If we take a 25% haircut to present book value, Enron will have to provide $650MM in consideration upon retirement of the debt. This $650MM would hit Enron cash, income, and equity balances. Osprey contains energy-related assets and 'other assets'. It was initially capitalized with $2.4Bn of 144a debt and $220MM in equity (ENE and institutionals). As with Marlin, the entity is an asset-backed structure with an Enron topup guarantee. The debt is supported by a) the assets; b) $1Bn of convertible preferred ENE (convertible into 50MM shares of ENE common); and c) additional ENE common as needed for topup. Assuming the same 25% hypothetical haircut to current book value, Enron would have to deliver approx. $600MM of topup funds--which would hit ENE cash, income, and equity. The debt must be retired by 9/17/02, with the same cut-to-junk early trigger provision as Marlin.
Answer:
Highlights from ENE Analyst Conference Call 11/14