Are NERC Y2K Readiness Assessment Reports Available? After much persistence, my local utility (Lower Colorado River Authority) gave me a copy of the their November NERC Y2K Readiness Assessment Report. It has some quantitative information that is helpful. Are these reports available from NERC for all the Y2K program participants? I think that LCRA is sending this report in monthly. If so, these reports might provide a moving picture of utility readiness.

As a side note, LCRA is stuggling mightily to get ready but the report is not encouraging. Basically, they are 90% assessed and about 30% remediated. Only two systems are listed as 100% remediated and tested: Power line carrier systems and Turbine/generator systems. They list 100% compliance by July 1, 1999. I don't see any way for them to finish their job. What in the world are we going do?

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1998

Answers

I may be wrong, but to my knowledge these readiness assessments are not available to the public, unless a utility chooses to give them to customers who ask, as yours did. (Good going to keep after them!) You can e-mail NERC and ask them specifically about this. Go to:

http://www.nerc.com/search.html

and at the top of the page is a question e-mail link.

What we're going to do is *hope* that the critical power line carrier systems and the generator systems are enough to keep a power supply going without too many disruptions. What we can be doing is making individual preparations to withstand the possibility of being without power, and giving information about this possibility to those around us so they can make an informed decision, too. Try making copies of the readiness assessment (if you can afford it) with a note that preparing to be without power would be a prudent thing to consider. Then put them in laundromats, libraries, church vestibules or any public place where people might read them. Your local paper might be interested in publishing the assessment, or you could include the pertinent details in a letter to the editor. What we can't do is force anyone else's decision to prepare or not to prepare. All best wishes to you!

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1998

I will ask NERC. I actually have been in and around the electric utility industry since the early 80's. My experience has been with the electric co-op sector; primarily with distribution and business systems, some with generation. See my new post for a comment on what I'm hearing from the industry.

I wished the prognosis looked better. I would like to think that it will all work out ... I'm afraid that more than a "bump" lies ahead. Best wishes, David

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1998

Why should an energy provider offer information? I would expect any statements made could be used against someone during litigation. All we need to due is look at our government during this historical time to see how important the details of wording can be. The article at

http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/Litigation/rweik9843.htm

shows how delicate the situation is.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 1998

The monthly reports are not available from NERC. They are sent to the NERC Regional reps who provide a combined summary(no names) of all reporting utilities to NERC Headquarters. NERC then reports to DOE quarterly.

This was the only way to get this reporting process started in July without lengthly legal review by each utility of each montly submission. We'd still be waiting for the first report....

Jim

-- Anonymous, December 21, 1998

I'm not surprised at all that the reports are not available. Since LCRA is a psuedo-governmental entity, the Tx Open Meeting statutes apply and we have access to the data. The "Freedom of Information" type of approach might also work with other governmental type utilities.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 1998