I wonder to what extent the "last mile" (substation, pole-top, or in-meter; as opposed to generation an inter-city transmission) of power distribution is vunerable to y2k problems.

I fear that if 99% of neighborhoods have some power (perhaps with rolling blackouts or brownouts), while there is insufficient generation or transmission, the 1% that remain may become a lower priority than remediating generation and transmission facilities.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 1998

Answers

The "last mile" of power distribution is relatively free of date dependent devices. In the "last mile", the bulk of date dependent devices are Automated Remote Meters and pole mounted Remote Terminal Units (RTUs). Specific problems with these two devices are:

-- Remote Meters: The customer can get a correct energy reading but with a wrong period, say Dec 15, 1999 to Jan 14, 1980. The billing software can then automatically add a past due amount. This is only a possible scenario. The best way to avoid any confusion is to file all past six months energy bills before Dec '99.

- RTUs: Time stamping of line parameters (voltage, current, frequency, power, etc.) will be done correctly but dates can be wrong. This will happen until the RTU is syncronised with a Master time source from a satellite or Main Control Centre. A disruption in power may not happen.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 1998