NERC is planning a Y2K 'drill' for the electrical utilities on April 9th of this year. You'll need a PDF reader to view this but it is worth it. See:

ftp://www.nerc.com/pub/sys/all_updl/docs/y2k/drill-preparation-strategies.pdf

So just what is the purpose of the drill? Unfortunately, I think that it is clearly revealed on page 3 where you will find the following quote:

"Do not make the drill complex. We want to have a successful and meaningful story for publication."

Pitiful. NERC seems to think the problem is bad PR. It is highly unfortunate that they have been tasked with coordinating a Y2K response among electrical utilities. They are clearly incapable of performing the task to which they were assigned. A snow job will not substitute for real work. There's simply no excuse for this kind of behavior at this very late date. They should remove themselves from this equation.

-- Arnie Rimmer (arnie_rimmer@usa.net), February 18, 1999

Answers

I agree, Arnie. NERC is more interested in a good PR story than they are in the problem actually being fixed. But the value of good PR is going to end soon, in less than 11 months...

-- Nabi Davidson (nabi7@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999.

Here's more bad news from NERC, dated Feb. 9. (Please, no comments on GN's politics.

NERC

<:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999.

Besides which, the "drill" is a communications exercise only......a test of the radio systems.

-- sparky (volts@amps.com), February 18, 1999.

Arnie:

While I agree with you, I would ask: What's the alternative? Who will step in at this late date? Who would handle it differently/more responsibly? Who would provide consumers with the information we must have? I wish I knew the answers...

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), February 18, 1999.

Lets be serious Arnie. NERC got the ball from the DOE to shield the Feds from obvious responsibilty. It also keeps Congress from digging to deeply. If the DOE had retained the lead, there would have been more Republican political pressure for answers. The Dems cleverly dodged the bullet by handing off to an incestuous & anonymous NERC. (Which most of the public assumes is a Federal agency.)

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), February 18, 1999.

Looks like they pulled that page out. I've tried to get there and the page is blank..

-- madeline (runner@bcpl.net), February 18, 1999.

Madeline, to view the URL page Arnie gave, you need Adobe Reader, it's a pdf file.

You can download it here http://www.adobe.com/

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), February 18, 1999.