STORY:
Utilities say Y2K will have minimal impact

The dreaded millennium computer bug likely will have "only minimal impact" on electric power systems and the lights will keep burning says an Associated Press report which quotes a optimistic industry review. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, accepting the latest report on how the power industry is tackling the "Y2K" problem, tells the AP he was still concerned that not all of the industry will meet a midyear target of having all its critical systems "Y2K" ready.

"That there are no show stoppers that would threaten the nation's electricity supplies is welcome news," said Richardson. But he said he was concerned that a small number of companies are not expected to fully meet the mid-year readiness test on critical systems. "In the Y2K readiness league, our goal must be to have a 1.000 percent batting average," said Richardson.

Michael Gent, president of the North American Electric Reliability Council, which is overseeing the industry's Y2K readiness project, tells the AP only a few facilities will miss the June readiness target "mostly because of scheduled outages and other planning considerations." He said he expected everyone to be ready by September when there will be a "dress rehearsal" to see how utilities react to a simulation of the end-of-year Y2K scenario.

Resolving the computer glitch caused by the rollover from 1999 to the year 2000 has been a top priority for the power industry. Major concerns are that the glitch might cause a shutoff of power that could cascade throughout the nationwide electric grid, or that the problem could interfere in timely shutdown of a nuclear power reactor.

"Findings continue to indicate that transmission through critical year 2000 rollover dates is expected to have minimal impact on electric system operation," so says the industry report according to the AP. The report said the impacts found so far amount to "nuisance" problems that would not prevent electricity generation or delivery.

"At nuclear power plants, no Y2K problem has been found that would prevent any safety system from shutting down a plant in an emergency," Gent tells the AP. Gent said about half of the utilities have finished testing operationally critical components of their power plant, transmission and distribution systems. And he said 98 percent of all utilities are participating in the industry-wide readiness assessment program.

Utilities are spending more than $2 billion to test and prepare their computers and replace software to deal with the Y2K problem. The electric utility industry preparedness has been a special concern of Congress as well as the Clinton administration since the electricity grid is tightly interconnected and a widespread distribution could have major impact.

"There is no evidence at this time that the Y2K problem will create national failures in electric power service," John Koskinen, chairman of the president's Council on Year 2000 Conversion is quoted as saying in the AP report. Nevertheless, said Gerry Cauley, program manager the Y2K review at the reliability council, utilities are developing contingency plans in case of a power interruption.

"We don't feel there's going to be a problem keeping the lights on," Cauley tells the AP, although adding that even with all the optimistic signs "no one will stand up here and give you ... a guarantee." "There's is just enough uncertainty."

DATE: 1/12/99

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