Plains Electric is Kit Carson's -- andthus, our -- supplier. Here is what they have to say:

< The Year 2000 Bulletin has been instituted to keep the Plains Member Alliance and other interested parties informed about the cooperative's Year 2000 Plan.

August 7, 1998 - Plains Y2K Efforts Continue

Plains Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative is continuing to take an active role in addressing Year 2000 issues to ensure that Plains provides reliable, consistent electricity to its member distribution cooperatives and their consumers on January 1, 2000.

The Plains Electric Y2K Committee, comprised of management and staff from all areas of Plains, developed a plan earlier this year to identify Y2K problem areas and to take corrective action. The Committee has completed an inspection and technical review of all Plains hardware, software and firmware for Y2K compliance or readiness. A Risk Assessment Report, which takes priorities, costs, risk, resources and time into account, indicates that much of the hardware, software and firmware is Y2K-ready or compliant but some is not. ("Y2K Ready" refers to systems that can operate into the Year 2000, "Y2K Compliant" refers to systems that are specifically designed and engineered to operate into the Year 2000.)

Plains is now in a testing phase of all hardware, software and firmware, estimated to take at least 90 days. During this testing phase, all data will be backed up and any interruption to on-line services will be kept to a minimum. When testing is complete, a Corrective Action Plan will be developed for remediation of all Plains Electric Y2K problems, allowing Plains to put a contingency plan into place by December 31, 1998. Final upgrades and testing will occur throughout 1999 and Plains goal is to be Y2K-ready or compliant by October 1, 1999.

Plains estimates that the majority of costs involved in making Plains systems Y2K ready or compliant will be covered by vendor service agreements already in place. Other remediation costs will be coordinated with vendors on a contractual basis or covered by a capital lease aimed at spreading costs over a period of time. Rates to Plains distribution cooperatives and their consumers will not change due to these costs.

Plains is also working closely with the Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC) to ensure that other utilities systems will be at least Y2K ready, therefore not affecting the Plains system due to the interconnectedness of the western power grid. WSCC will be conducting extensive testing of connected systems and is working on contingency plans for utilities to isolate their systems should others experience problems on January 1, 2000.

Plains will continue to communicate its Y2K activities to its member cooperatives and other interested parties. Please contact Communications Manager Amy Miller at (505) 889-7328 for further information on Plains Y2K compliance activities.

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April 1, 1998 - Plains Y2K Committee in Place

Plains Electric Generation and Transmission Association, like many other utilities nationwide, is taking an active role in addressing Year 2000 issues to ensure that Plains provides reliable, consistent electricity to its member distribution cooperatives and their consumers on January 1, 2000.

Plains Electric is presently in the due diligence stage of the cooperatives Year 2000 plan, evaluating the scope of the Y2K problems that may exist at the cooperative. A Plains Electric Y2K Committee, comprised of management and staff from all areas of Plains, has developed a plan of action to identify Y2K problem areas and to take corrective action. Management Information Systems (MIS) Assistant General Manager Mark Gehrke is in charge of the Plains Y2K Committee and of all the MIS Y2K actions. Assistant General Manager of Transmission Operations Joe Taylor is in charge of all Energy Management System (EMS) Y2K activities and Assistant General Manager of Generation Operations Jim Behnken is in charge of the Plains Escalante Generating Station (PEGS) Process Control System Y2K activities.

The Plains Y2K Committee is currently identifying Y2K problem areas by identifying all hardware, software and firmware that exists at Plains and accompanying vendors and suppliers. As part of this process, all departments at Plains Electric are being required to inventory items in their areas that may be date sensitive. Committee staff will then conduct a 30-day inspection and technical review of the inventory, working with users, suppliers and vendors on further evaluation.

Once the inventory is complete, an Initial Risk Assessment Report will be developed that takes priorities, costs, risk, resources and time into account. At least three options will be available within the action plan: 1) fixing the problem internally by replacing affected codes, fixing hardware or firmware; 2) replacing the problem by purchasing new hardware, software or firmware; 3) discontinuing use of a specific system. Following the Initial Risk Assessment Report, all hardware, software and firmware systems will be tested at Plains Electric within 30 to 60 days. During the testing, all data will be backed up and some systems may be down for as long as two weeks. Any interruption to on-line services will be minimized. A structured, standardized and comprehensive testing methodology will be employed.

A Corrective Action Plan will be developed for remediation of all Plains Electric Y2K problems when testing of all hardware, software and firmware is complete. A report on all of Plains Y2K plans will be final before the end of May 1998. This will allow Plains to put any contingency plans into place regarding the Plains Escalante Generating Station, transmission capabilities and internal organizational functions. Plains will continue to communicate its Y2K activities to its member cooperatives and other interested parties.

For more information, contact Amy Miller, Communications Manager, (505) 889-8328, Fax (505) 889-7637 Last update: 10/26/98>>

-- Anonymous, November 16, 1998