Thanks to Drew Parkhill for picking up on comments from the Washington Post. Check out:

http://www.cbn.org/newsstand/y2k/insights.asp?file=990804b.htm

Some excerpts:

"The electric utility industry told the government Tuesday it is prepared to deal with any Y2K computer problems, but federal officials reacted cautiously -- and promised spot checks of power plants in the months to come.

``I can't declare total victory yet,'' Energy Secretary Bill Richardson told the industry representatives. He said consumers ``deserve the answer to a simple question -- whether their utility's critical systems are ready for the year 2000...''

"John Koskinen, assistant to President Clinton for Y2K conversion, expressed some concern at the news conference about power companies postponing action on some critical tests until later in the year so as not to disrupt electricity service. He said these tests shouldn't be delayed too long, leaving enough time to correct errors and unexpected problems... "

It's interesting that there's "caution" in Washington and that Koskinen has "concerns". Mr. Koskinen seems worried that utilities might just breath a sigh of relief now that the industry has reached a PR peak, and put their focus on other things.

Well, I say "Why not?" If it's already a done deal that the lights will stay on, why shouldn't tests be delayed, hmm? Why test anymore at all? What, Koskinen and the Secretary of Energy didn't believe Mr Gent's statement below?

``If New Year' Day 2000 were tomorrow, we believe the lights would remain on in North America,'' Michehl R. Gent, the council's president, told a news conference.

Right now a scene from The Wizard of Oz is runnning through my head. The one where Ms. Gulch has come to take Toto away and Dorothy's Aunt is frustrated in saying what she really wants to. I can identify.

-- Anonymous, August 05, 1999

Answers

"Ha ha ha, Ho ho ho, and a couple of tra la la's ... "

-- Anonymous, August 05, 1999

I don't think any aspect of Y2k has ever reminded me of the Wizard of Oz. We can only hope there is something at the end of the yellow brick road.

For me, it is the movie Brazil that keeps running in the endless loop.

Tom

-- Anonymous, August 06, 1999

Heard on Y2K News Radio yesterday:

Although NERC boasts 98 or 99 percent ready, of the 251 agencies they monitor, 69 [~27%] have "exceptions". [and of course we aren't being told what those "exceptions" are.. don't worry your pretty little heads 'bout that]

Question.. where does that 251 figure come from.. there are a LOT more utilities than that aren't there?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 1999

Linda - an exceptions list is provided as an appendix to the recent NERC report. While the list is not comprehensive (more of a categorization of exceptions), it provides a glimpse of what remains ahead. Most importantly, even more so than waiting for autumn outages, a lot of the exceptions are categorized as "awaiting vendor upgrades".

To all: I'll post my take on the NERC report sometime in the next 24 hours, hopefully.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 1999

what i find singularly amazing is that anyone would read these reports with more than a 'grain' of salt or, worse yet, risk their lives by believing the drivel.

i am so sick of the whole affair that i can't wait until it starts falling apart... at least then we will *know* where we stand.

after that... we can start picking up the pieces.

here's more grist for the mill.

In commenting on the number of electric companies that did not participate in the August 3 report to the DOE (e.g., 13.4% of 2012 government-owned electric utilities surveyed did not respond, Appendix D), John Koskinen said "With the Y2K problem, you fear the worst in those areas where there is no information" (August 3 "Statement of John Koskinen" at www.y2k.gov/new/080399PRLS.htm).

-- Anonymous, August 06, 1999