Enron Files Chapter 11

Enron Corp. announced today that it along with certain of its subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. As part of the reorganization process, Enron also filed suit against Dynegy Inc. in the same court, alleging breach of contract in connection with Dynegy's wrongful termination of its proposed merger with Enron and seeking damages of at least $10 billion. Enron's lawsuit also seeks the court's declaration that Dynegy is not entitled to exercise its option to acquire an Enron subsidiary that indirectly owns Northern Natural Gas Pipeline. Proceeds from the lawsuit would benefit Enron's creditors.

In a related development aimed at preserving value in its North American wholesale energy trading business, Enron said that it is in active discussions with various leading financial institutions to provide credit support for, re-capitalize and revitalize that business under a new ownership structure. It is anticipated that Enron would provide the new entity with traders, back office capabilities and technology from Enron's North American wholesale energy business, and that the new entity would conduct counter-party transactions through EnronOnline, the company's existing energy trading platform. Any such arrangement would be subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court.

In connection with the company's Chapter 11 filings, Enron is in active discussions with leading financial institutions for debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing and expects to complete these discussions shortly. Upon the completion and court approval of these arrangements, the new funding will be available immediately on an interim basis to supplement Enron's existing capital and help the company fulfill obligations associated with operating its business, including its employee payroll and payments to vendors for goods and services provided on or after today's filing.

Filings for Chapter 11 reorganization have been made for a total of 14 affiliated entities, including Enron Corp.; Enron North America Corp., the company's wholesale energy trading business; Enron Energy Services, the company's retail energy marketing operations; Enron Transportation Services, the holding company for Enron's pipeline operations; Enron Broadband Services, the company's bandwidth trading operation; and Enron Metals & Commodity Corp.

Enron-related entities not included in the Chapter 11 filing are not affected by the filing. These non-filing entities include Northern Natural Gas Pipeline, Transwestern Pipeline, Florida Gas Transmission, EOTT, Portland General Electric and numerous other Enron international entities.

To conserve capital, Enron will implement a comprehensive cost-saving program that will include substantial workforce reductions. These workforce reductions primarily will affect the company's operations in Houston, where Enron currently employs approximately 7,500 people. In addition, the company will continue its accelerated program to divest or wind down non-core assets and operations. Details of the units to be affected will be communicated shortly.

In its lawsuit filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, Enron alleges, among other things, that Dynegy breached its Merger Agreement with Enron by terminating the agreement when it had no contractual right to do so; and that Dynegy has no right to exercise its option to acquire the entity that indirectly owns the Northern Natural Gas pipeline because that option can only be triggered by a valid termination of the Merger Agreement.

In conjunction with today's petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization, Enron will ask the Bankruptcy Court to consider a variety of "first day motions" to support its employees, vendors, trading counterparties, customers and other constituents. These include motions seeking court permission to continue payments for employee payroll and health benefits; obtain interim financing authority and maintain cash management programs; and retain legal, financial and other professionals to support the company's reorganization actions. In accordance with applicable law and court orders, vendors and suppliers who provided goods or services to Enron Corp. or the subsidiaries that have filed for Chapter 11 protection before today's filing may have pre-petition claims, which will be frozen pending court authorization of payment or consummation of a plan of reorganization.