Cinergy Running Generating Units with Year 2000 Dates

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Electric Utilities and Y2K : One Thread

The Indianapolis Star-News reported today that Cinergy Corp is presently running generating units in the post-Year 2000 envirnonment.

"In our testing - that which we've tested - there was nothing that would have prevented the unit from operating," said George Westin, Computer Systems Operating Chief at Cinergy, the paper said.

According to the account, Cinergy, which was a 1994 merger of Public Service Indiana and Cincinnati Gas and Electric, now is producing electricity at a six-unit generating station near Cincinnati that "believes" it's already the year 2000.

No followup informtaion was provided on how this was accomplished, whether this was post remediation testing, or if workarounds were established.

This information is echoed in Cinergy's most recent SEC filings, but is not covered on their web site. In light of Springfield Utilities announcement concerning their Year 2000 testing, and this being construed as good news, one would think a bigger announcement would be in order than an "oh by the way reference in a newspaper article and buried in an SEC statement. At least that's my take on it.

Anyone living in this area might want to call Cinergy to re-confirm this information and post more direct follow-up questions concerning the results of their tests. The newspaper post is:

http://www.starnews.com/news/citystate/98/nov/1122SN_y2k.html

-- Anonymous, November 23, 1998

Answers

Do not be decieved by companies declaring to be running in Post 2000 conditions. This is not possible! Yes, they can run with 2000 dates on thier own system however, the interfaces are not passing 2000 dates , they can't be as some of the interfacing companies cannot yet be compliant. Also, they have full capability as far as fuel and coal distribution. The true test of Year 2000 ready is not only compliance of YOUR software but interfacing information and critical suppliers. A Y2k compliant computer and a Y2k non-compliant computer work exactly the same without electricity! They don't!

-- Anonymous, November 24, 1998

As we sit around our boardroom tables and our kitchen tables, thinking about what can can do to transcend this date change in reasonable shape, we all understand the starting point for this is the electrical industry. Without reliable electrcity, our tasks prove a hundred times more difficult.

Within the electrical industry, for matters they can control directly, people sit around boardroom tables and breakroom tables thinking about where it all starts for them. Well, its generation. It doesn't matter of T&D will work 1/1/2000, nor does it matter if SCADA works, if the power generators don't. They've got to get things going on the plant floor first, or their game is up.

And that is what these reports are about, at Cinergy, and TVA and Washington Water & Power. They are saying we CAN make power with Year 2000 dates. It's a start. Let's go from there.

-- Anonymous, November 24, 1998


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