So many people are involved with y2k. So many discussions. Who is gone solve the problem when it is y2k-time ? The normal operator or the director ?

What is better in times of trouble a crowded house or a normal crisis center ?

-- Anonymous, June 21, 1999

Answers

Menno,

Good to hear from you. You're right about normal operations. I've even heard some utilities that were considering doing operations as close to normal as possible, based on the few problems actually found. The rationale is that utilities are excellent at responding to emergencies using standing procedures. Some even were talking about dropping back to economic dispatch to keep operations normal.

As far as interruptions of work by pointy-haired upper management types and politicians, media folks and other dregs, that is difficult. We are going to have a media center at our corporate office, one floor up from the operating center - you know coffee, donuts, phone & fax lines. I assume that corporate big-wigs will be encouraged to wine and dine with the media and politicos - keeping the operations center safe for operators. This approach keeps the centralized source of info, both in from the field and out to NERC close, but distinct. Fast and frequent updates for the media, and keep rubberneckers from getting in the way.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 1999