MASISON,Wis. (AP) -- The State Public Service Commission has rejected a request by one of Wisconsin's biggest public utilities for a rate increase to cover costs of preparing computers for Y2K.

The decision Tuesday against Alliant Energy Corp. of Madison saves customers from paying 50 cents to $1 extra on their monthly electrical bills for 18 months.

The commission refused Alliant's request because the company pledged not to raise rates for four years in exchange for permission to merge in 1998 with two Iowa utilities, PSC spokesman Jeff Butson said.

Under the pledge, rates could rise only in an emergency.

"If there was ever a one-time extraordinary event that warranted our attention and justified rate recovery, Y2K is it," Alliant executive Bill Harvey said. "The millennium-date rollover is the single greatest technological challenge ever faced by American businesses."

The entire article can be accessed at www.coolpages.net/2000/news.hts. The title is 'State rejects rate hike for y2k costs'.

Bill Harvey is identified as the president of Alliant Energy-Wisconsin Power & Light on Alliant's website which contains the company's press release that includes the above quote. It can be accessed at Alliantenergy.com. Click on 'Our News' and see 8/3/99 'Alliant Energy Responds to PSC Decision on Y2K Costs'.

-- Anonymous, August 04, 1999

Answers

"The millennium-date rollover is the single greatest technological challenge ever faced by American businesses."

Gee, I guess they didn't read the latest NERC report, which says basically even if the utilities had done nothing, everything would be fine.

Can you spell DISCONNECT?

- Jon

-- Anonymous, August 04, 1999

"The millennium-date rollover is the single greatest technological challenge ever faced by American businesses."

Yep. And one-hundred-percent preventable.

-- Anonymous, August 04, 1999

gosh, what a conundrum! trying to explain why a problem that isn't a problem requires an inordinate amount of money to bankroll same.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 1999