This is an excerpt from my power company http://www.saskpower.com/Year2000/html/y2kstatus.html#Overview -- Clocks are not being adjusted in the transmission and distribution network, as basic functions are not date dependent.

 Testing work for transmission/distribution, substations and switching stations on embedded-chip process systems is scheduled to be complete by June 30, 1999. These embedded-chip process systems are used in such functions as protection, control and telecommunications. --

so all clocks in the whole network cannot/will not be set forward past 31/12/99. Then it is stated that basic functions are not date dependant in T&D, but they are being tested because they are used in protection, control and telecom.

so does that mean that "protection, control and telecom" are not basic function?

Do basic functions for a power company consist only of spinning a conductor inside a magnetic field to generate electricity?

Is setting clocks forward in generating units adequate, or just a red herring?

regards

spiff

-- Anonymous, June 05, 1999

Answers

There are clocks in T&D but they don't do anything except tell you the time. They are used for logging, not controlling. Consider daylight savings time. You have to set the clocks forward and back once each year. I know of no power company that sends people out on over time to do that. Also think about lines that may connect your company to another in a different time zone. One set of clocks is always an hour ahead or behind the other. Isn't that confusing. In T&D timing is very important. Time isn't.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 1999

In T&D timing is very important. Time isn't.

Timing without time. An "interesting" philosophical concept.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 1999