STORY:
World Won't Go Dark at Midnight

Lighten up on your fears of Y2K and power problems, the lights will stay on

When the clock strikes midnight on January 1 your lights will stay on. An U.S. technology consultant group says 99 percent of all places in the world will have no interruption of service despite the Y2k computer fears.

A report recently released by the Gartner Group said electricity supplies around the world will remain stable. Countries where electricity supplies are usually reliable can expect business as usual, however some third world countries can expect the normal level of power cuts.

The Gartner Group has taken a high profile in urging action to combat the millennium bug. Experts worry when the computer reads the two digits 00 it will think the year is 1900 and that would cause chaos with the computer systems.

Months ago, The Gartner Group said it would cost between $300 billion and $600 billion to solve the Y2K problem worldwide. Today, the group is confident that electricity will flow without interruption. This is extremely important since electricity is the most important component of the world’s infrastructure.

The Gartner Group issued a report, which said that During December 1999, and January 2000, at least 99 percent of the global population will receive at least 99 percent of their normal electrical services.

The report concluded that electricity suppliers would handle the date change with few problems. Not only are the electrical companies prepared for Y2K, but also the demand is expected to be low, which will be a benefit when the calendar changes to the year 2000. Officials with the Gartner Group told Reuters News Service that many industrial users will have shut down plant and equipment as part of the year 2000 boundary plans and this will be beneficial to the entire system.

DATE: 11/4/99

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