Pennsylvania Power Company Executive admits power failures ineveitable!!!

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Everyone, What I am about to tell you is not fabricated. Here are the details. This weekend, my wife and I were over at a friends home just across the street. We live in Cecil County, Maryland. My wife is a hair stylist and his wife owns a salon, so naturally, the discussion of the salon business ensued later that evening. The subject of Y2K had come up throughout the evening as well. My wife had commented how amazing it was that over the years so many of her clients had confided some very amazing things while having their hair cut or colored or whatever. The salon setting is a very casual environment and my wife and friends wife have serviced many influential clients over the years.....they both work in very high-end salons. Well, just as they both were discussing that very fact, his wife commented to Ben and I that one of her regular clients is an executive at a Penssylvania Power company. I asked her the name. She said is was Pennsylvainia power and light or Peco or something....she couldn't exactly recall because she had a very long a busy day that week. (Our power company is Connectiv)so I know it wasn't ours. Anyway, she said that his exact words to her when the subject of Y2K were, " You didn't hear this from me, but come January 1st, you can expect a minimum of three to five days with no power in most areas of the U.S." She reacted shockingly and asked him some more details...He expressed the facts that most of the systems that were in place were very suspect and have not been tested nearly enough. He said that the entire grid would not go down all at once, but very intermittently and perhaps in some areas, for extended periods of time....perhaps months!!! All this talk about being Y2K ready was and will remain to be the course as to avoid panic. I was not at all surprised and after leaving that evening, patted myself on the back for having all of my "mission critical" systems in place and fully tested. (generators, fuel supply, food, etc.) So, to everyone reading this, your efforts (no matter how kooky some may label you) will not be in vain. Best wishes.

-- Jim Torrez (jimtorrez21@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999

Answers

Over the years I've known many and many a beautician, barber, etc., and the information given to them is at times astonishing. People will tell and talk abut things they wouldn't discuss with their confessor.

This information doesn't surprise me at all.

-- Richard (Astral-Acres@webtv.net), December 13, 1999.


Right. Only your hairdresser knows for sure.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), December 13, 1999.

You know, whether or not these little stories are true or if original parties making them even know what they are talking about, it would be foolish for anyone who lives in the colder parts of this country to not have some kind of contingency plan for loss of power for several days. I have enough kero and propane to cook and heat for 10 days, maybe more. VERY CHEAP insurance if you ask me. If we lose power for even 2 or 3 days people in my area are going to start freezing to death, maybe not by the thousands but enough to make news.

If the lights go out I can light, heat and cook for more than a week. Thats the least people should be ready for at this time of year and with this great unknown coming very soon.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), December 13, 1999.


I will add this from another post. It makes you wonder. All the more reason to at least prepare. Why don't the pollies at least understand this point? Who knows?

Lord spent two days with the CEO of one of the world's largest Y2K remediation companies, he told WorldNetDaily. This company, Lord said, has performed Y2K remediation projects on many of the largest electrical utilities in the United States as well as overseas, and is also one of the nation's top two or three expert companies on embedded systems. However, a statement by the firm's CEO, who wishes to remain anonymous, has chilling implications, Lord said. The CEO said, "If we escape Y2K by only losing 40 to 60 percent of the electrical power in the entire United States for two to three weeks, I would consider that a home run," according to Lord.

Profound evidence to at least be prepared. Why do some people ignore this? God only knows. We hope he's wrong, but nevertheless what makes the "no-problem" crowd think they know more than this guy?

I've been following the electrical companies for a long time now. 18 months ago, they didn't have a clue. It looked really bad. Now suddenly, everybody is done, fixed and ready. Amazing isn't it?

We're not anticipating any problems," said Gil Francis of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public utility in the country. "We think power will be distributed as it always is."

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), December 13, 1999.


Thanks Jim for this post. I have yet to buy a generator but based on your post, Im going to go today and buy the one Ive been eyeing at Home Depot. If what this guy says is true, Scary Garys worst scenario just may unfold...TEOTWAWKI.

-- Rod (rspain@webcombo.net), December 13, 1999.


"I always thought these letters were made up. Imagine my surprise when one day, my beautiful neighbor was sunbathing in her backyard...."

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 13, 1999.

Hoffmeister.....very funny...Seriously, I am not making this up.

-- Jim Torrez (jimtorrez21@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

Jim, pay NO attention to Hoff, he has a job to do !!

rAY

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), December 13, 1999.


"I always thought these letters were made up. Imagine my surprise when one day, my beautiful neighbor was sunbathing in her backyard...."

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 13, 1999.

Go ahead and give us the whole story. It's the most useful (or at least interesting) thing you've said so far!

-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), December 13, 1999.


Hey Hoff. would your neighbor happen to be Lady Logic.

Got pictures to post?

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), December 13, 1999.



Thanks Jim. Hoffmeister does have a point though. About half of your post is background and "honest, really" stuff. IMHO, you'd come across as more convincing if you just posted as many of the facts as possible and let us make our own minds up about the veracity. Otherwise it's spin and not content, and you should know how we feel about that when it comes from the guys in suits.

And you have to admit, "the hairdresser friend of the wife of a guy on the internet" is pretty tenous. :)

Thanks anyway though.

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), December 13, 1999.


Hey Hoff,

Now you understand, I'm not asking for myself, but a friend of mine ws wondering...............does your neighbor lady like to mud wrestle?

-- Hillbilly (Hillbilly@possum.creek), December 13, 1999.


Guys, I know it may all sound a little sketchy.....I'll admit. I thought you all might be interested in the information. I don't have anything else to really contribute. Just what I know. I am not kidding about this piece of information. I swear it. Jim

-- Jim Torrez (jimtorrez21@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

Sorry, don't know.

"You understand, I only read the articles...."

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 13, 1999.


jose,

you didn't swear to god, but I beleive you anyway...I can swear to god that I have heard from an extremely reliable, level-headed person (who still hasn't paniced even after what he heard) that an electric utility worker told him that they are expecting a national failure rate of 25% to last for several hours, and that they aren't telling anyone because of fear of panic...F. O. F. Fucked ON Failure

-- Daniel Roberts (daniel roberts@anon.anon), December 13, 1999.



Couple of weeks ago tried to find kerosene heater in central PA....no luck, None at walmart, sears, etc. we don't have an alternative to oil furnace, which of course needs electric.......no fireplace, etc...any other suggestions?

-- toallabove (chillyinPA@excite.com), December 13, 1999.

chilly

go to the prep forum which you will find in the "above" link at the top of the main page.

look for posts by familyman

He lives in south central PA and would be able to give you local info.

Stan Faryna also posts almost every day a list of stuff you can get to help you prep for two weeks.

How can you live in central PA and not have a fireplace?

Anyway, check out kerosene heaters and other options, but beware of CO.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.


Chilly....

I'm also in Central PA.

EM Herrs farm supply has stacks, Walmart in Lancaster has at least one, tractor supply has stacks of them, etc etc...

Think farm supply and home supply, NOT department store.

-- Art Welling (artw@lancnews.infi.net), December 13, 1999.


Jim...I just want to thank you for the info you posted. I believe you and truly appreciate it. THANK YOU!

-- Debi (LongTimeLurker@shy.com), December 13, 1999.

We had two stories a few days ago, about power companies not really knowing their Y2K status. Not NERC certified reports, just stories. How's that old story go...

When you hear something, you dismiss it. When you hear it the second time, you still dismiss it. But when you start hearing the same thing, over and over, from many different people, well...

Tick... Tock... <:00=

PS - I'm taking up a collection, so we can get Hoff some flashlights and stuff...

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), December 13, 1999.


I don't mean to put a damper on things, but the information Jim posted I seem to remember reading exactly the same thing a while back. It was posted to this forum so it will be in the archives somewhere. Regards, Simon

-- Simon Richards (simon@wair.com.au), December 13, 1999.

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