Lawyers for Amalgamated have accused Enron and Andersen of violating federal securities laws, leading to retirement fund losses of more than $10 million.

The commission has neither finalized any rulings nor accused Enron itself of wrongdoing.

Companies run into trouble only when they create an imbalance between supply and demand and then try to profit from it, as some have accused Enron of doing with electricity in California.

Federal regulators have also accused Enron of trying to raise prices by engaging in sham trades with an unnamed company on Jan. 31, 2001.

Dynegy abandoned the acquisition, accusing Enron of misrepresenting the health of its business.

Soon after the crisis began, California officials began accusing Enron and other energy companies of artificially causing shortages.

"This is vindication for the governor, who was accusing Enron of market manipulation way back when," said Steven Maviglio, a spokesman for the governor.

Entering bankruptcy would be bad news for shareholders who have filed lawsuits accusing Enron of violating securities laws; any awards would not be paid until after creditors were satisfied.

Government regulators were not part of the call, and neither were the lawyers for the people who have filed lawsuits accusing Enron of mismanaging its pension fund.

But newly elected Maharashtra politicians accused Enron of padding the project's costs by more than $700 million and corrupting politicians to win high electricity rates without competitive bidding.