We have heard of several Y2K tests at power plants in recent months that reported only minor, if any problems (at least none serious enough to shut down the plant or disrupt the flow of electricity), when they rolled their clocks forward to January, 2000. Does this prove these plants would have no problems on Jan. 1, 2000? Is it possible that some date sensitive embedded systems that they may have missed could still malfunction and cause problems when their own internal clocks roll forward on Jan. 1, 2000, even though they demonstrated no problems when other computer clocks in the plant were rolled forward in the testing? Would these compliant plants be harmed by Y2K malfunctions in neighboring power plants, or would just the distribution of electricity along that section of the grid be affected (the thinking is maybe these compliant plants could start back up unharmed in case of a cascading power outage, unhook from the grid, and supply their local area with power)? Tom Wheeler (November, 25, 1998)

-- Anonymous, November 25, 1998

Answers

See http://www.iqpc.com/1198y2ut.htm

-- Anonymous, November 25, 1998