Joint statement by SA Local Government and Eskom on the impact of Y2K problems on Electricity supply. (Escom is the sole generator of electricity in South Africa).

Allen Morgan, CEO of Eskom and Attie van der Merwe, President of the Association of Municipal Electricity Undertakings (AMEU), representing the electricity generation, transmission and distribution industries, have given assurances that Y2K-related electricity disruptions at the millennium roll-over are highly unlikely.

Van der Merwe expressed satisfaction with the work done by Eskom over the past two years to ensure the Y2K compliance of all Eskom generation, transmission and distribution equipment, and he assured consumers that the processes followed by Eskom, to ensure Y2K compliance of all equipment, conform to internationally accepted norms. Both Morgan and Van der Merwe called on consumers to maintain their normal electricity consumption patterns. Disruptions of power supply are simply not foreseen.

According to Morgan, Eskom regards the local authorities as strategic partners in delivering electricity to the final customer. AMEU members are in key positions in most of those local authorities identified as high priority in terms of Y2K readiness.

Since the Y2K phenomenon is a technical matter in electricity supply, the AMEU is regarded as an important body to influence any local action needed to foster co-operation in resolving Y2K-related critical problems. All agree that nothing should stand in the way of uninterrupted electricity supply to all customers through the two critical dates at the end of December 1999 and the end of February 2000. The experience that Eskom has gained in its Y2K remedial process has been made available to all local authorities. The statistics from the joint government/private sector project to assess the readiness of local authorities to deliver key services, said Van der Merwe, can now serve as a good basis for attending to possible risk areas.

Van der Merwe said that Local Government electricity distribution undertakings, supplying electricity to a large number of electricity customers in South Africa, have done much to ensure that disruptions to our towns and cities will not occur due to local system failure. Y2K audits carried out by the Department of Constitutional Development indicate that the state of preparedness is high, and that remaining outstanding issues have been identified and will be resolved by the end of the year. The AMEU will provide assistance to the few authorities that may, at this late stage, still encounter problems with equipment.

Both Eskom and the AMEU are working closely together and have extensive contingency plans to ensure the best possible service in the unlikely event that there are problems. The whole electricity supply industry is working hard to ensure that the dawn of the new millennium will be a memorable experience with no electricity supply problems at all although, obviously, no guarantee can possibly be given in this respect.

ENDS.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 1999