Enron Mail

From:drew.fossum@enron.com
To:jeffery.fawcett@enron.com
Subject:Re: Caithness Big Sandy, LLC. Project
Cc:
Bcc:
Date:Tue, 27 Jun 2000 10:15:00 -0700 (PDT)

Excellent! I hope Briden's project attracts fewer vultures than Dennis
Langley's. I need to go to Midland on the afternoon of the 12th, so could
meet in Houston conveniently on the morning of the 12th or anytime 10 am or
later on the 11th. I could meet on the 10 th after 10, but less
conveniently. Just let Martha know what the plan is and she'll deploy me.
Also, when you say they want TW to "build, own and operate the plant" you
mean the gas pipeline facilities, not the power plant, right? Must be
because $20 mil. would be a pretty cheap power plant. Thats a pretty cheap
pipeline also for the length--about 40 miles, right? DF




Jeffery Fawcett
06/27/2000 04:17 PM
To: Drew Fossum/ET&S/Enron@ENRON
cc: Mary Kay Miller/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Ronald Matthews/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Terry
Galassini/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, James Centilli/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Darrell
Schoolcraft/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Paul Cherry/GPGFIN/Enron@ENRON, Rich
Jolly/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Susan Scott/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Julia
White/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Kevin Hyatt/ET&S/Enron@Enron, Steven
Harris/ET&S/Enron@ENRON

Subject: Caithness Big Sandy, LLC. Project

The project's consultant, George Briden, of Snake Hill Energy, called me
today to say that Caithness Corp. has decided to move forward with plans for
the Big Sandy, LLC. Project. To refresh your memory, the project is a
proposed IPP to be located about 40 miles south of TW's pipeline along
Highway 93, about 2 miles outside of Wickieup, Arizona. I've attached a
simple bitmap below (click on it and hit "view") indicating the location of
the project relative to Transwestern's facilities. Ultimately, the project
would be built for approx. 1,000 MW of generation in two phases. Phase 1
will burn approx. 80,000 Dth/d, and phase 2 will burn an additional 120,000
Dth/d. Initial indications are for the project to be in service in early
2002, with the lateral pipeline and gas service required as early as Q2, 2001.

Caithness Corp., based in New York, is a privately held company with diverse
interests including geothermal (renewable) electric generation facilities
(Coso Plant) in California. George reported that Caithness would like for
Transwestern to build, own and operate the plant with facility costs (current
estimate, $20.3MM) to be amortized vis-a-vis a throughput/rate commitment.
Caithness would also like the project to be interconnected to El Paso's
system and the Questar Southern Trails Pipeline if that project should ever
be completed.

Obviously, we'll have to wade throught the legal/regulatory issues
surrounding this deal structure, as well as the requisite credit assurances.
With respect to the former, I think if we view this pipeline
ownership/operation structure more as a financing mechanism with associated
operating agreements, then we're probably OK. With respect to the later,
George assured me that Caithness can/will set-up a funding mechanism that
would give Transwestern sufficient assurance of payback.

George would like to bring down a couple of representatives from Caithness to
meet with Transwestern sometime the week of July 10. He suggested either
Omaha or Houston for the meeting, inasmuch as he'd like Drew Fossum to be
present.

Drew, I'm thinking it might be easier/better to have the meeting here in
Houston given our immediate access to maps and engineering data regarding the
lateral pipeline. If you concur, what day(s) do you have open that week and
is there an opportunity for you to hop Bill's plane for either one or both
legs of the trip down here? I'll ask Ron Matthews and maybe one or two
others to join us so we can cover a fairly broad base of functions in one
sitting.

Will you get back with me as soon as you can? Others on the distribution, if
you can sit tight we'll get you more information as this meeting date/time
comes together. Thanks.