Hello, Critt,
Anyone who attends might want to ask questions about articles such as
this one:
http://www.canada.com/newscafe/getcp.asp?bk=business&sk=990
414/b041451.html
(for educational purposes only)
Some power plants will miss Y2K deadline
MICHAEL MACDONALD
TORONTO (CP) - At least two electric power plants in Canada will not
meet the industry's June 30 deadline for Y2K readiness, the Canadian
Electricity Association said Wednesday.
The association, which represents 28 major power utilities, won't say
which plants have decided to delay testing and contingency planning
for the computer glitch known as the millennium bug.
"We're talking about small thermal generating plants in both cases,"
said Francis Bradley, vice-president of the trade organization.
A public report, due next month, will outline what remains to be done
at the plants, but the location of each plant will be kept secret.
Bradley stressed that staff at the plants have not been dragging
their heels. The testing will be delayed until after June because
that's when the plants are scheduled to be temporarily shut down for
routine maintenance.
"It doesn't make any sense to do it now - in April or May - when for
years the schedule had those plants coming off line in the summer,"
Bradley said.
Besides, missing the June deadline doesn't mean the plants won't be
ready by year end, he added.
Bradley was responding to a report from a U.S. Internet news service
that alleges the North American Electric Reliability Council, a non-
profit watchdog agency, is trying to cover up the industry's Y2K
problems.
The report, from WorldNetDaily, cited a memo from the council that
tells power companies to withhold information about their Y2K
problems from the public and from the U.S. Energy Department.
The document refers to "exceptions," which means the reasons a
utility might give for failing to meet the June deadline.
"All identified exceptions will be held in strict confidence and will
not be reported to (the Energy Department) or the public," the memo
says. "The exceptions will be reviewed by (the council's) Y2K project
staff for reasonableness and reliability impact on operations into
the Year 2000."
Council spokesman Gene Gorzelnik could not be reached for comment
Wednesday, but the report quoted him saying the memo was authentic.
Most of Canada's major power suppliers are members of council, which
is based in Princeton, N.J.
Bradley, whose office is in Montreal, confirmed that Canada's 17
major "bulk electricity" utilities were also asked to report
"exceptions" to the council.
But he dismissed allegations of a coverup.
"I don't accept that," he said. The electric reliability council "has
been on the forefront of highlighting Y2K problems with electricity."
Bradley said the group was expected to draft a list describing what
needed to be done to make North America's power companies Y2K ready.
But again that list would not identify any individual utilities.
"They will not be releasing what is effectively proprietary company
information," he said.
"The greater concern that we have in the industry is that companies
are reporting as much as possible. There are concerns that they have
with respect to confidentiality."
-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), April 15, 1999.