There is an interesting article at: http://www.bangornews.com/News/981022utilitiesupdatecommi.html

It's the "Utilities update commission on Y2K readiness" by the Bangor Daily News. It would be good to read the whole article, but here are some pertinent parts with regard to my question:

"The two major electric utilities in Maine _ CMP and Bangor Hydro _ are in various stages of preparedness, but admit they are overloaded with deadlines to meet in 1999."

"We are witnessing the convergence of three of the largest deadlines in our history,'' said CMP President David Flanagan. "First, we are trying to close the large financial transfer of our assests to Florida Power and Light. Second, on Jan. 1, we have the conversion of our automated systems to Y2K. And third, we have the transition into full retail competition [power company deregulation].''

"Flanagan said CMP will not hit its December 1998 compliance deadline, established in 1996, but is "in pretty good shape'' to be ready early next year."

"Bangor Hydro President Robert Briggs said although his company is on track with in-house Y2K compliance, his biggest concern is the company's reliance on maintaining the link with the power grid. "

"Our dependency is on the New England and New Brunswick grids,'' Briggs said. "We can't carry all of our customer's loads.''

Rick, or anyone with an overview of all our nation's utilities, can you supply a percentage of those utilities which are also now dealing with other major merger/deregulation deadlines besides Y2K? I guess I'm asking if the CMP and Bangor Hydro situation is an isolated one or applies to a lot of the industry? Many thanks in advance for any answers.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1998

Answers

100%. That was the easiest question I've answered this week!

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1998