( BW)(NH-HOUSTONSTREET) HoustonStreet Joins OASIS to Drive XML
Standards for Wholesale Energy Trading Industry
Business/Energy Editors
PORTSMOUTH, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2000--
Internationally recognized structured information standards
consortium to provide open standards development expertise
In the industry's first move to bring open standards to wholesale
energy trading, HoustonStreet Exchange today announced it has joined
the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
Standards (OASIS). Through OASIS, HoustonStreet hopes to further boost
energy industry trading efficiency with its use of XML (extensible
markup language) to streamline online trading processes.
OASIS is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to
cultivating XML and other structured information standards to simplify
how businesses exchange data. XML offers users an open format for
business-to-business data exchange that sets the stage for developing
interoperable systems over the Web. By joining OASIS, HoustonStreet
will share expertise with association members and apply those
strategies in its efforts to develop and support open standards for
online trading in the wholesale energy industry. HoustonStreet's use
of XML facilitates information sharing between frontline traders and
their mid- and back-offices, as well as between trading organizations.
"We welcome HoustonStreet to OASIS and look forward to their
participation," said Laura Walker, executive director of OASIS. "By
joining the consortium, HoustonStreet is demonstrating its commitment
to product-independent standards for e-business applications. Their
focus on Internet energy trading will be a valuable asset to our
technical work on XML and other structured languages."
HoustonStreet designed the platform from the outset to utilize XML
technology. By offering paperless data transfer through the use of
XML, HoustonStreet intends to save its wholesale energy industry
customers time and money and augment their risk management
capabilities.
"OASIS is comprised of leading technology companies who understand
the challenges that industry-wide standardization presents," said Brad
Guth, vice president of energy services for HoustonStreet. "We will
tap that knowledge, use it as a guideline for enhancing our XML
protocol, and share the firsthand industry knowledge we've gained to
bring efficiency to the wholesale energy trading process."
About OASIS
OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org) is a non-profit, international
consortium dedicated solely to product-independent data and content
interchange. Focusing on product interoperability, OASIS embraces the
complete spectrum of structured information standards including XML,
SGML and CGM. OASIS sponsors include Adobe Systems, Aerospatiale,
AND-USA, Arbortext, BEA Systems, Bentley Systems, Boeing, Bowstreet,
Bridge, Chrystal Software, Cohesia, Commerce One, CommerceNet,
CompTIA, Corel, DataChannel, DMSi, Documentum, Dun & Bradstreet,
eCredit.com, Enigma, eXcelon, Extricity Software, GCA, Health Level
Seven, IBM, InformIT, Informix, InterCAP, Interleaf, Interwoven,
ISOGEN, ITEDO, JetForm, Keyfile, Logistics Management Institute,
Mercator Software, Microsoft, NextPage, NII Enterprise Promotion
Association, Nimble.com, NIST, Object Management Group (OMG), Open
Applications Group, Pick Systems, POET Software, ProNet Technology
Partners, Reed Technology, Reuters, Sabre, SAP, Sequoia Software,
SoftQuad, Software AG, STEP, StreamServe, Sun Microsystems, Synthbank,
Visa, Wavo, Webb Interactive Services, webMethods, Whitehill
Technologies, Xerox, XMLSolutions and XyEnterprise.
About HoustonStreet Exchange
Designed by traders for traders, HoustonStreet Exchange represents
the first Web portal for the trading of wholesale energy products.
HoustonStreet.com provides an online trading engine that allows
traders to buy and sell their energy products faster, more efficiently
and more easily than through conventional methods. HoustonStreet
Exchange is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with offices in
Houston, Texas. HoustonStreet Exchange is a majority-owned subsidiary
of BayCorp Holdings, Ltd., (AMEX: MWH). For more information, visit
HoustonStreet at www.houstonstreet.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. There are
a number of important factors that could cause these forward-looking
statements to be materially inaccurate. These factors include, without
limitation, that (i) energy traders may be unwilling or unable to use
Internet-based energy trading systems, including HoustonStreet.com,
(ii) HoustonStreet.com may not be able to operate profitably, (iii)
technological or systems outages could occur, (iv) competitors with
greater financial, marketing or other resources could emerge, (v)
performance is contingent upon successful completion of design,
implementation and improvement to the electricity, crude, refined
products and natural gas sites, and (vi) market acceptance of
HoustonStreet.com cannot be predicted. HoustonStreet.com is a
registered service mark of HoustonStreet Exchange.
CONTACT: Beaupre & Co. Public Relations Inc.
Kristin Canders
(603) 559-5801
kcanders@beaupre.com
or
HoustonStreet Exchange
Kim Salem
(603) 766-8703
ksalem@houstonstreet.com