Wonder if this story line will awaken any sheeple !!

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Third of nuclear plants report still having Y2K problems

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WASHINGTON (AP) - A third of the nation's atomic power plants still have additional work to complete on non-safety computer systems to be fully ready to deal with the Y2K computer bug, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The commission said it has received reports from all 103 nuclear plants indicating ``that there are no Y2K-related problems which directly affect the performance of safety systems.''

Sixty-eight plants indicated that all their computer systems that support safe plant operation are ``Y2K ready,'' the agency said

The other 35 plants reported that they have additional work to complete on a few non-safety computer systems or devices to be fully ready, and provided schedules for completing the work, it said.

Of the 35, about a third have work remaining on systems needed for power generation, the NRC said. Other plants need to complete work related to plant monitoring and administrative systems.

``None of the remaining work affects the ability of a plant to shut down safely, if needed,'' according to a statement released by the agency.

But Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a consistent critic of the NRC, said Wednesday that the report only ``confirmed my fears about the lack of preparation of nuclear plants for the Y2K bug.''

``If schedules slip, or if testing reveals problems that were not recognized, a number of plants may be dark on New Years,'' Markey said.

He said virtually any system that affects operators' ability to monitor and control nuclear plants could affect safety, even if it's not directly safety related.

The Y2K problem, or millennium bug, may occur in computers and microchips programmed to recognize only the last two digits of a year; they may malfunction if they misread the year 2000 as 1900.

Critics of the utility industry have said they fear the bug might cause the nation's power grids to crash when clocks strike midnight on Jan. 1, leading to blackouts.

Markey last week questioned whether power plants are ready to deal with possible Y2K-related blackouts after an NRC letter revealed that both emergency power generators at New Hampshire's Seabrook nuclear plant were simultaneously inoperable for about a week.

One of the generators was out for routine maintenance and testing. The other was functioning properly but technically considered inoperable because its automatic switches malfunctioned. Operators could have hooked up the generator manually, if needed. Markey said Wednesday that the NRC should be prepared to shut down plants later this year that are not fully ready for possible Y2K problems. He also questioned the claim that 68 plants are ``Y2K ready'' but not necessarily ``Y2K compliant.'' Markey interpreted that language as meaning that utilities may be able to keep the plants running, with methods such as setting clocks back, but not that all computer programs will necessarily work properly.

Another NRC report on Y2K readiness, based on on-site visits to all nuclear plants over the past three months, is due by the end of July.

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-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), July 07, 1999

Answers

Should be AP not Reuters.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), July 07, 1999.

7/7/99 -- 10:39 PM

Y2K - Nuclear Plants

WASHINGTON (AP) - Commercial nuclear power plants that have actions remaining to be completed to be fully Y2K ready and estimated dates of completion, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

Beaver Valley, Units 1 and 2; Shippingport, Pa., 9/30/99.

Browns Ferry, Units 2 and 3; Athens, Ala., 10/31/99.

Brunswick, Unit 1; Southport, N.C., 11/30/99.

Clinton; Clinton, Ill., 9/22/99.

Comanche Peak, Unit 1; Glen Rose, Texas, 11/30/99.

Comanche Peak, Unit 2; Glen Rose, Texas, 10/30/99.

D.C. Cook, Units 1 and 2; Bridgman, Mich., 12/15/99.

Davis-Besse; Port Clinton, Ohio, 8/1/99.

Diablo Canyon, Units 1 and 2; San Luis Obispo, Calif., 10/31/99.

Farley, Unit 2; Columbia, Ala., 12/16/99.

Hope Creek; Hancocks Bridge, N.J., 10/29/99.

Limerick, Unit 2; Limerick, Pa., 9/30/99.

Monticello; Monticello, Minn., 9/1/99.

North Anna, Unit 2; Mineral, Va., 10/29/99.

Oyster Creek; Toms River, N.J., 9/30/99.

Peach Bottom, Unit 2; Delta, Pa., 9/30/99.

Peach Bottom, Unit 3; Delta, Pa., 10/31/99.

Perry; Perry, Ohio, 8/1/99.

Salem, Unit 1; Wilmington, Del., 11/6/99.

Salem, Unit 2; Hancocks, N.J., 10/29/99.

Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2; Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., 10/31/99.

South Texas, Units 1 and 2; Bay City, Texas, 10/31/99.

St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2; Fort Pierce, Fla., 7/15/99.

Three Mile Island, Unit 1; Middletown, Pa., 10/21/99.

Turkey Point, Units 3 and 4; Florida City, Fla., 7/15/99.

Vermont Yankee; Vernon, Vt., 10/31/99.

Watts Bar; Spring City, Tenn., 10/31/99.

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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), July 07, 1999.

The sound byte on CNN today said that if the remaining reactors were not compliant by September, they *may* be shut down then. Didn't specify whether Sept. 1st or 30th though.

-- Mommacares (harringtondesignX@earthlink.net), July 07, 1999.

SEE:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0013TE

For more comments.

-- a (b@c.d), July 08, 1999.

Funny how most of the plants here in PA. fall in line with the end of the 3rd Q.?????????

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), July 08, 1999.

>The commission said it has received reports from all 103 nuclear plants indicating ``that there are no Y2K-related problems which directly affect the performance of safety systems.'' Sixty-eight plants indicated that all their computer systems that support safe plant operation are ``Y2K ready,'' the agency said The other 35 plants reported that they have additional work to complete on a few non-safety computer systems or devices to be fully ready, and provided schedules for completing the work, it said.

Okay, let's see. a. 68 plants indicated that all their computer systems that support safe plant operation are ``Y2K ready,'' the agency said b. The commission said it has received reports from all 103 nuclear plants indicating ``that there are no Y2K-related problems which directly affect the performance of safety systems.''

Well, which is it? Are all the safety systems done at all the plants, or are only 68 of the plants finished with their safety systems?

-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), July 08, 1999.

Perhaps they're still thinking about it. They're not sure what they mean...for sure....yet......pondering...diligently.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), July 08, 1999.

IRonic that you mislabeled it as a Reuters story... Reuters' take was radically different:

Wednesday July 7 1:48 PM ET

U.S. Says Nuclear Plant Safety Systems Ready For Y2K

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Computers controlling safety systems at all 103 U.S. nuclear plants are free of software bugs that could cause radiation leaks on Jan. 1, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.

While all safety systems have passed testing, about one-third of U.S. nuclear plants still have some work to do on other computers that control power generation or administrative work, the NRC said.

``None of the remaining work affects the ability of a plant to shut down safely, if needed,'' the agency said in a statement.

U.S. electric utilities have rushed to retool computers to avoid possible Year 2000 (Y2K) problems that may occur in older computer systems that use only two digits to represent the year. Experts fear many computers used by businesses worldwide could malfunction or crash on Jan. 1 if they misread the year as 1900 instead of 2000.

Federal regulators said the 35 nuclear plants with Y2K computer work remaining could be forced to shut down if they cannot prove by the end of September that all software modifications needed to keep the plants running smoothly will be ready by year-end.

``Typically, the remaining Y2K work to be completed after July 1 is because of a scheduled plant outage in the fall or the necessity to wait for delivery of a replacement component for a plant,'' the NRC added.

Among the plants with some Y2K work yet to do were Diablo Canyon in California; Oyster Creek in New Jersey; Salem in Wilmington; Comanche Peak in Texas; and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.

The NRC report was based on Y2K preparedness reports filed on July 1 by all 103 U.S. utilities.

The agency said it is separately analyzing Y2K readiness data from its inspectors' visits to nuclear plants over the past three months. A report will be issued later this month based on that information, the agency said.

Utilities powered by coal or natural gas have also revamped computer systems to avoid any interruption in electricity at the beginning of the year. A utility industry group will give its latest Y2K readiness report to the U.S. Energy Department on July 29.

-END-

-- Scott Johnson (scojo@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.