I haven't posted anything on this forum for awhile. Been trying track down information on my co-op, Sam Houston Electric Co-op (SHECO): 1. SHECO's web site several months ago stated they had confirmation SCADA was compliant. Meter reading equipment had to be fixed. Billing was compliant. Minor fix for voice-mail, etc. to be done. Some PC's needed work. 2. Sent e-mail to SHECO asking for name of company from whom they buy electricity. 3. E-mail answer was Sam Raybourn Co-op. 4. E-mail to Sam Raybourn asking answers to usual questions regarding compliance. 5. E-mail from Sam Raybourn saying essentially they would not answer my questions. Said they were writing report to SHECO and I would have to get my answers from SHECO. 6. Got e-mail from y2k man at SHECO. Said Texas Electric Commission required that they had to make a list of people requesting info on y2k. Asked for my address and account no. 7. E-mailed address and asked questions about their y2k report on web site. 8. No answer yet to questions. 9. Went to their web site this week. They had a new report and generic letter Sam Raybourn was sending to their POWER SUPPLIERS. POWER SUPPLIERS? I thought THEY generated power. Must have come to wrong conclusion. Sounds like Sam Raybourn buys power from some other company(ies) and sells to SHECO. That means SHECO is third in line to receive power. Bad news. Now have to find out who that is. Can't ask Sam Raybourn, they won't talk to me. 10. This new SHECO report now says SCADA NOT compliant. Must replace in 1999. I have new propane freezer, kerosene heaters, Aladdin lamps, wood stove. Live in heavily wooded area. Have hydraulic wood spliter, food, water stored. I will be fine but this is a retirement area. Very worried about the elderly living here. I suggest people being served by a Co-op start asking questions and follow the chain of their power source. I will insist SHECO give me information until I trace their initial power source, realizing, of course, that a failure anywhere along the line will do us in. Marcella

-- Anonymous, January 23, 1999

Answers

Your doggedness in getting answers is as impressive as your level of personal responsibility. Thanks for posting.

I thought it might be nice to get a list of pertinent questions to ask our local juice provider. If each of us knew what to ask I'd bet we'd get the answers one way or another. We could even get politicos to put pressure on the utilities for the data.

Thanks again.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 1999