HoustonStreet teams with OptiMark

[Donna Bungard <dbungard@beaupre.com>]

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HoustonStreet Selects OptiMark
To Enhance How Energy Trades Online

Portsmouth, NH, August 2, 2000 - HoustonStreet Exchange, Inc. today
announced a Memorandum of Understanding with exchange solutions provider
OptiMark, Inc. to give energy traders the same advanced tools that Wall
Street traders enjoy by incorporating OptiMark's enhanced trading platform
technology into HoustonStreet.com. OptiMark technology is used in some of
the world's most demanding financial trading markets, including the Nasdaq
Stock Market and the Pacific Exchange.

HoustonStreet plans to incorporate OptiMark's patented matching engine
technology into its gas, power, crude oil and refined products exchanges
over time, giving customers enhanced trading opportunities.  The OptiMark
software allows traders to submit bids and offers based upon various trading
desires, including price, size and other attributes.  OptiMark also allows
for contingent linked trades, meaning that it uses sophisticated algorithms
to match buyers and sellers based upon their respective wish lists for
products that may be traded in separate markets. HoustonStreet intends to
begin providing this enhanced trading tool to energy traders in the first
quarter of 2001. 

"We are extremely excited to become a part of this dynamic and innovative
exchange," stated Jeffrey Max, managing director at OptiMark. "We believe
that the HoustonStreet team and their exchanges will emerge as winners in
the energy trading industry because of their aggressive focus on the traders
and their needs."

HoustonStreet recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding with Enron
whereby North American electricity and natural gas prices posted on
EnronOnline will automatically be posted on HoustonStreet.com.  Through
deals such as Enron and OptiMark, HoustonStreet continues to address the two
fundamental needs expressed by traders - the need for liquidity, and a
better, more efficient way to trade. HoustonStreet has already traded more
than $425 million in crude oil since its launch on May 18. 

"The online energy marketplace is growing increasingly competitive.  It's
important to us to find ways to maintain our competitive advantage," stated
Frank Getman, president and CEO of HoustonStreet Exchange.  "OptiMark will
be a significant enhancement to the value-added trading services that we
offer energy traders."

- more -



About HoustonStreet Exchange, Inc.
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 a faster, easier and
more efficient means for buying and selling their energy products.
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).  Additional information on
the company is available at www.houstonstreet.com.

About OptiMark, Inc.
OptiMark, Inc., a privately held company, is a leading provider of exchange
solutions to electronic marketplaces and communities globally. OptiMark's
broad range of solutions include the simplest browse or auction markets to
the most sophisticated exchanges where multiple buyers and sellers trade and
negotiate for goods and services, and value is determined by more than price
and quantity alone. OptiMark has proven solutions operating in some of the
most demanding markets in the world today including the Nasdaq Stock Market
for US OTC equities and the Pacific Exchange for US listed equities.
OptiMark 's investors include General Atlantic Partners, SOFTBANK, Aon
Group, Dow Jones & Company, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch.  OptiMark is
headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.  Additional information on
the company is available at www.optimark.com



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