I just got my final bill from Missouri Gas Energy, and lo and behold, a flyer was included: "Y2K and MGE", full of reasons that make me glad I don't live in Kansas City, Missouri anymore (although i don't know that OG&E is in any better shape):

The first third of August is just about gone, and. . .

"The natural gas industry -- composed of producers, interstate pipelines, marketers, and local distribution companies like MGE -- is actively and aggressively addressing y2k issues. These industry segments are working closely together to assess and remediate y2k-related problems."

In other words, they ain't done yet, and they don't even know where all the problems are.

"While individual companies are at varying levels of compliance, the natural gas industry is generally confident about its ability to produce and deliver natural gas despite year 2000 challenges. Earlier this year , the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released results of an industry-wide survey that indicated that the natural gas and oil industries are on track to solving their year 2000-related computer systems challenges before the end of the year."

Hmmm. . . "generally confident," "on track," and "before the end of the year," would appear to me to be the alarm bells in this paragraph. They ain't done yet, they expect they will go right down to the date change wire.

"A team of our best and brightest employees -- along with key people from our parent company, Southern Union Company -- has been working for many months, and in some cases, years, preparing for the year 2000. We are investigating, testing, and when necessary, modifying our equipment and systems to make them y2k ready. MGE is also anticipating and preparing for any possible unforeseen circumstances when the new year arrives."

Note the verb tenses -- investigating, testing, modifying. They ain't done yet, and there are nebulous "unforeseen circumstances" out there waiting to byte.

"A comprehensive program is in place. Our y2k team has a comprehensive readiness program in place that is addressing all mission critical issues related to our y2k project."

CYA time, "We did a report." "Is addressing."

"Information Technology systems (software): Remediation and final testing on financial systems is complete. Work on biling and other systems will be completed this summer."

Hmmm, so of all the possible places to start, they began with their financial systems, made sure they were ready, then they turned to little things like moving gas around and stopping explosions. We know where their priorities are. Summer is winding right on down, and this flyer doesn't say "we're done."

"Embedded systems (hardware): After extensive testing, we determined only a very small percentage of the automated equipment with embedded microchips in our facilites needed to be replaced. That work is rapidly being completed."

They found problems (the y2k threat to embedded systems in natural gas pipelines is not a religious fanatic hoax). They haven't fixed everything yet, but the work "is rapidly being completed." No drop dead "we're done" date.

"Contingency plans: Y2k is not just one date, but many dates occuring both before and after January 1, 2000. Throughout many industries, as critical dates such as fiscal years have occurred, they have not created unmanageable problems. When y2k failures have occurred, they have been corrected thus far without widespread consequences."

Unless, of course, you were a kid playing alongside a creek in Bellingham when 250,000 gallons of gasoline exploded. But note: roll-over problems have occured, y2k failures are occuring, so far they are manageable. At what point, though, or what happens, when/if they become unmanageable?

"At MGE, we remain confident about our ability to make all of our systems "Y2K Ready" well before the year 2000. Even so, as a precautionary measure we continue to develop contingency plans. Drills and tests on these contingency plans will be conducted throughout the rest of the year to enhance our preparedness."

Their contingency planning is not complete, and they aren't sure what they got works.

Finally, get this kicker at the bottom of the last panel (their caps):

"THIS DOCUMENT IS A YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT."

Which, if I understand it, means they can say anything they want now, and not be sued for it later, even if it turns out they were lying through their teeth the day they put that flyer in my bill.

If this is the best corporate America can do, maybe we are toast after all.

-- robert waldrop (rmwj@soonernet.com), August 09, 1999

Answers

This reminds me of the one we got from Wash Gas in Northern Va. about 2 months ago. In big bold letters on the front of the pamphlet. They announced:

"This year 2000 rollover is the biggest challenge that Wash. gas has faced in its 150 year history."

Now if this ain't no big deal then why raise eyebrows with statements like the above?

-- David Butts (dciinc@aol.com), August 09, 1999.

Since historically NOTHING of substanse gets done from Turkey Day until the END, (of the Year) and subtracting the 26 work days involved, it leaves only Sixty (60)Work days till the END!!

Better have Preps!

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@It's ALL going away in January.com), August 10, 1999.

You're right about the late timing and alarming (but quietly and definitely understated ) conditions they are describing.

___

It's "late summer" - fall coming on. And they still include:

"Remediation and final testing on financial systems is complete. Work on biling and other systems will be completed this summer."

____

This whole release would have been great status last August, maybe good news this spring - maybe that's when they wrote it? - but it is very scary news now.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 10, 1999.