USA: Broadband unit in strong shape, says Enron CEO.
Reuters English News Service, 03/23/01

Enron Corp. CEO: Core Businesses Are In 'Great Shape'
Dow Jones News Service, 03/23/01

Enron Says $3.1 Bln Portland General Sale Probably Won't Close
Bloomberg, 03/23/01




USA: Broadband unit in strong shape, says Enron CEO.

03/23/2001
Reuters English News Service
(C) Reuters Limited 2001.

HOUSTON, March 23 (Reuters) - Enron Corp.'s broadband unit will execute 
nearly twice as many trades in the first quarter of 2001 as it did in the 
fourth quarter of 2000, Enron President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff 
Skilling said on Friday. 
"My expectation is that we will see over 400, maybe over 500 transactions 
this quarter which shows this business is absolutely developing, it is ahead 
of plans," Skilling said in a conference call that sought to assuage investor 
fears about Enron's stock and its broadband unit specifically.
That is more than all 321 transactions done last year, and about twice the 
236 done in the last quarter of 2000, he said. 
Skilling also said long supply and a weak telecom market is offering Enron 
greater and cheaper access to bandwidth capacity, which means Enron Broadband 
Services' capital expenditure budget should drop from $750 million to $250 
million. 
Some analysts have attributed two consecutive days of price drops in Enron's 
stock - it dipped as low as $51.55 on Thursday, from 60.95 on Tuesday - to 
false rumors of layoffs at the nascent broadband business and the market's 
devaluation of that unit in light of weak technology and telecom sectors.

Copyright , 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 



Enron Corp. CEO: Core Businesses Are In 'Great Shape'
By Christina Cheddar
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

03/23/2001
Dow Jones News Service
(Copyright (c) 2001, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- After several days of decline, Enron Corp. (ENE) 
shares were regaining ground Friday as Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling 
addressed the market's concerns about the company. 
During a conference call, Skilling told investors that the Houston company's 
core businesses are in "great shape."
The executive also reiterated the company's 2001 earnings target of $1.70 to 
$1.75 a diluted share. 
The company's outlook compares with a consensus estimate of $1.74 a share 
published by Thomson Financial/First Call. 
Enron shares recently traded hands at $58.60, up $3.58, or 6.3%, on volume of 
5.3 million compared with average turnover of 4 million. 
On Thursday, Enron shares set a 52-week low of $51.51.


Copyright , 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 


Enron Says $3.1 Bln Portland General Sale Probably Won't Close
2001-03-23 13:48 (New York)

Enron Says $3.1 Bln Portland General Sale Probably Won't Close

     Houston, March 23 (Bloomberg) -- Enron Corp., the largest
energy trader, said its $3.1 billion sale of Portland General
Electric Co. to Sierra Pacific Resources probably won't be
completed.
     ``There's probably a 5 percent probability that Sierra
Pacific's purchase of Portland General will be consummated,''
Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling said during a conference call
with investors.
     Enron said in January that Sierra Pacific might not be able
to sell a Nevada power-plant stake as needed to win regulatory
approval for the Portland General transaction. Enron blamed a
California law that barred public utilities from shedding
generators until 2005 because of an electricity shortage.
     Shares of Houston-based Enron rose $3.98 to $59 in
midafternoon trading. They had fallen 18 percent in the past week.

--Margot Habiby in Dallas (214) 740-0873, or
mhabiby@bloomberg.net, and Jim Polson in Princeton,
(609) 279-4000/slb