US frets over Y2K, utilities amid new grid test

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Here's the link:

US frets over Y2K, utilities amid new grid test

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), September 08, 1999

Answers

Anybody make the abbreviated list??

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), September 08, 1999.


[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

US frets over Y2K, utilities amid new grid test

Updated 10:17 PM ET September 8, 1999

[snip]

By Patrick Connole

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said Wednesday that 12 electric utilities have not moved aggressively enough to prevent potential Year 2000 computer glitches, possibly darkening several communities at the dawn of the new millennium.

On Wednesday night, some 3,200 utilities across the United States and Canada will test the power grid's readiness to cope with computers when the date changes to Jan. 1, 2000.

Richardson was to personally oversee a massive dress rehearsal of how North American utilities will respond if generating units, communications and other equipment failed due to a computer meltdown.

More than 99 percent of the nation's electricity supply was Year 2000, or Y2K-ready, but stragglers remained, Richardson said on Wednesday.

Y2K refers to fears that older computers programmed to read only the last two digits of a date will read "2000" as "1900," triggering a chain reaction of breakdowns.

"With just over 100 days, those suppliers that haven't yet stepped up to the plate need to be especially aggressive to prepare for the rollover," Richardson said.

Besides the dozen utility companies, another 16 municipal utilities and rural cooperatives are behind on Y2K plans, according to the American Public Power Association and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

The nation's top energy official was to participate in the so-called "Nines Test" of the power grid at the federal Bonneville Power Administration in Vancouver, Washington.

The "9999" drill refers to the fact Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999, is an important date in the lexicon of potential computer snafus. Some machines were programmed long ago to stop processing data, or to perform special tasks on the date.

Thursday will allow power grid overseers, the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), to conduct a mini-Y2K test months ahead of the actual millennium.

"Using 9's as a sign-off was not standard practice for programmers," said Kazim Isfahani, Y2K expert at Norwell, Mass.-based Giga Information Group.

"We don't expect any kind of major problem at all, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of it, or be unprepared. It's a good time to think about testing out contingency plans for Y2K," Isfahani said.

Major U.S. utilities said they were ready.

"These drills will help us identify areas where we can strengthen the response plans," said Sally Whitney, the Y2K program manager for Duke Energy , which provides power to some two million customers. "If unanticipated Y2K events occur, we will be prepared to respond."

An April 9 test of the North American power grid was called a success by the government and NERC, leading to expectations that the lights won't flicker when the new year begins.

Richardson said the following 12 utilities were either not ready for the millennium, or were on a list compiled by NERC as having limited Y2K-related problems:

-- Central Louisiana Electric Co.

-- the City of Lakeland, Fla.

-- City Public Service of San Antonio, Tex.

-- Cogentrix Energy of Charlotte, N.C.

-- Lafayette Utilities in Louisiana

-- Milford Operating Co. of Massachusetts

-- Utility Board of Brownsville, Tex.

-- Plains Electric Cooperative of Albuquerque, N.M.

-- Tacoma Power

-- Platte River Power Authority of Fort Collins, Co.

-- United American Energy Corp of Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

-- Calenergy Co. Inc. of Omaha, Neb.

Richardson also said he ordered random reviews of another 20 electric utilities over the coming months as part of the DOE's audit of Y2K- readiness.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said 28 nuclear power reactors need to upgrade their computers to avoid possible Y2K computer problems, but said none of the work yet to be done would jeopardize public safety.

There are 103 nuclear utilities in the United States, with other utilities using natural gas, coal and hydropower to fuel plants.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.


Also see this link about the 99% ready statistic:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_franke_news/19990804_xndfr_coveru p_la.shtml

Was the actual compliance (not readiness) figure in July 70 percent or 99 percent?

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 09, 1999.


Well I live above Fort Collins in the foothills. So wonder if the people in town know about this list !!!! I am sure all will be fixed before 2000......if not it will be dark at night won't it ha ! Guess things are going to be fun soon !

-- Chaz (rizzo10@msn.com), September 09, 1999.

Chaz...How's life in Ft. Fun? :)

I was suprised when I saw Ft. Collins, CO. on the test list. That used to be my old stomping grounds. I hear the place has grown a lot so any power problems would be interesting. There is a company called HP that has a big operation there. Wonder what shape they are in? They have a big IC production facility that definitly needs power. They also use some nasty chemicals in the production process.

an old CO. boy....:)

-- (owner@yahoo.com), September 09, 1999.



Question - the "12" unitlities not ready or ready with exceptions - how many were on the list that thos "12" came from? the next paragraph says they will be randomly testing another 20 later. Hopefully, the "12" were not from an orginal list of 20.

Tacoma is just down the road from us and we have a huge Bonneville Power substation just 6 miles from us.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please. net), September 09, 1999.


Question - the "12" utilities not ready or ready with exceptions - how many were on the list that those "12" came from? The next paragraph says they will be randomly testing another 20 later. Hopefully, the "12" were not from an orginal list of 20.

Tacoma is just down the road from us and we have a huge Bonneville Power substation just 6 miles from us.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please. net), September 09, 1999.


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