Rick, as I mentioned to you last week, I would like you to help to organise 
the visit of two italian officials this summer. The first one is

- Mauro Formaggio (Director of Gas at the Italian Gas and Power Regulatory 
Authority)

I have a very good relationship with him and we have helped him in the past 
re. UK Gas Grid Code and other issues regarding gas TPA. He is now working on 
the TPA rules applicable to the Italian gas market, and he is asking if he 
could meet someone in Enron to understand more about the general operation of 
a big pipeline (despatching operation, commercial scheduling of transmission, 
nomination, balancing and allocation, as well as to the infomation that the 
pipeline gives to the general public and to regulatory authorities). Please, 
see this e-mail below. He has not yet decided the dates, but he is aiming at 
last week of August, for 1/2 days. 

I would suggest you could put me in touch with someone in our organisation 
who could help on this, and I would co-ordinate Formaggio's meeting.


Alfredo,
I'm scheduling a visit to the USA on the practice of TPA. in the month
of August.
The aspects I'm considering are:
- how OBAs are organized and how they are applied,
- the operation of hubs,
- the balancing penalties,
- the trading of capacity
- the general operation of a (big) pipeline
- the general operation of a state pipeline, and of a LDC
- the operation of a shipper
Please let me know whether you deem it feasible also a meeting with your
american colleagues on any of these items.
---
In the meantime I have arranged for a visit to a major shipper and trader, in 
Atlanta (on the access as it is seen and done by a shipper, on many pipelines 
and storages), and to another major shipper and producer in Houston (on the 
relationship with FERC and other regulatory authorities, as well as on the 
access practice).
A visit to a major pipeline would fit well in this framework. To my opinion, 
Northern would be all right. It should act as a model to what could also be 
arranged, with time, by big transmission operator(s) in our country. It could 
refer to the dispatching operation, and to the commercial scheduling of 
transmission, to the nomination, balancing and allocation, as well as to the 
infomation that the pipeline gives to the general public and to regulatory 
authorities. If possible, two days would be a proper duration.
I think you can consider me a relatively well informed person, so there would 
be no need of formal presentations. The opportunity to see real operations 
and to discuss with experts would be all right. 
In the past, when I was in Snam, I took the opportunity of keeping in touch 
with the developments in the Usa. So, I already have a relatively good 
general knowledge of the american system. Last time was some years ago, when 
I visited Transcanada, in Calgary, for a week (focusing on nomination and 
balancing). Among the pipelines I visited in the course of earlier years, 
there were EL Paso, PG&E, Northwestern and also Northern for a short visit.
Going to Omaha would not be a problem for me.
As for the period, it would be in the second half of August (because with 
september there would be a very heavy workload to do, here in Milano).
Thank you and best regards
Mauro


Dear Alfredo,
I'm finalizig this week the program for a visit in the USA for and updte
on TPA practice, there.
Among of meetings I'm going to arrange, it would be of interest a visit
at a major pipeline.
Northern seems to me a good example. Would you envisage it as a possible
example for me?
I would discuss the organization of dispatching, see the nomination and
balancing operation, the allocation of measurement, and other major
aspects of TPA implementation (including OBAs with interconnecting
pipelines) for transmission and storage.
I'm considering the end of August for such a visit. Owing to the extent
of the subjects, maybe two days would be appropriate.
Thank you and best regards
Mauro