Do you know about this?

http://www.kepco.co.jp/y2k/index_e.html http://www.okiden.co.jp/english/y2k/index.html http://www.kyuden.co.jp/problem2000/English/problem2000-response-9909.html http://www.yonden.co.jp/pc2000/y2k-e.htm http://www.tohoku-epco.co.jp/2000y/2000y-e.htm http://www.rikuden.co.jp/2000/english.html http://www.energia.co.jp/year/year.html http://www.chuden.co.jp/2000/index-e.html http://www.hepco.co.jp/english/news/year2000.html http://www.osakagas.co.jp/y2k/english.html http://www.tokyo-gas.co.jp/y2k/index_e.html

-- I Wonder (doyouknow@about.this), November 19, 1999

Answers

They could be. There are only 9 regional utilities in Japan and they all have a monopoly over their region. Unlike the deregulated US market which has 1000's of small independent utilities, Japan has 9. Since they are a Monopoly they can charge extraordinary high rates, and have no need to automate or use advanced technology when it can be done by a warm body.Of course the system is automated, but not anywhere like it is in the US. They believe in the lifetime employment system and have almost the same number employees that they had twenty years ago. I have lived here for almost 5 years and we have never experienced a electric outage. Not even for a minute. Can't say that about the US where I had to reset blinking clocks on electronic clocks which seemed like once every few weeks. Now if there is a power problem it may occur in one of the 9 regions but there is no possibility of power grid failure that is possible in the US. Then again I could be wrong. But I think the problem with Japan is going to be with banking and the electronic manufacturers.

-- lindgren (lindgren@kt.rim.or.jo), November 19, 1999.

Also problems with distribution.

-- lindgren (lindgren@kt.rim.or.jp), November 19, 1999.

Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc. http://www.yonden.co.jp/pc2000/y2k-e.htm

[selected extracts]

"We have confirmed that controlling systems/microprocessors which directly control facilities at power plants and substations do not use date information, because these facilities must be controlled on a real time basis. Therefore there should be no service interruption, etc. due to the Y2K problem."

"Even if any irregularity takes place in computers having electric facility monitoring and logging functions, there will be no adverse effects on operation, both because analog measuring instruments can conduct monitoring operation and because backup equipment enable us to cope with the trouble. Manual operation can also be conducted on the spot. To make assurance doubly sure, however, we will strengthen the personnel standby setup and develop a setup for receiving vendors' technical support."

"For thermal power generation fuels, we have kept and managed from quite a while ago the sufficient inventory that enables us to cope with any temporary interruption in supply. To make perfection more perfect, however, we will draw up a ship assignment program and enhance inventory management in order for the level of inventory to become sufficient before the year-end and the beginning of a new year."

Contingency plan: Assumption of contingencies, and the countermeasures http://www.yonden.co.jp/pc2000/y2k-e2.htm

"If any unexpected failure takes place within or outside the company due to the Y2K problem, we will take the following measures. (e.g. to enhance the standby and liaison setups)

In order to maintain normal operation of power systems even in cases of imbalance between demand and supply (e.g. power consumption declines sharply as a result of any failure in large industrial power customer's equipment), we will conduct source operation with sufficient marginal supply capability and regulating capability.

Even if any irregularity takes place in computers installed at the nuclear power station or thermal power stations with monitoring and logging functions, there will be no trouble in operation, because measuring instruments that are not affected by the Y2K problem conduct monitoring and control operations. To make assurance doubly sure, however, we will strengthen the personnel standby setup and the initial action setup at times of occurrence of failure.

Even if any irregularity takes place in computers which monitor and log the operation of hydropower stations, substations and distribution facilities, there will be no trouble in operation, because those facilities can be remotely controlled (if located far in the distance) or manually operated on the spot. To make assurance doubly sure, however, we will strengthen the personnel standby setup and the initial action setup at times of occurrence of failure.

Even if any irregularity takes place in computers having monitoring and logging functions installed in the power systems and telecommunications networks, there will be no trouble in system operation due to activation of backup equipment. To make assurance doubly sure, however, we will strengthen the personnel standby setup and the initial action setup at times of occurrence of failure.

Even if any irregularity takes place in a computer for business management, there will be no trouble in operation because another computer with similar capacity can act for the troubled one as a backup machine. To make assurance doubly sure, however, we will strengthen the personnel standby setup and the initial action setup at times of occurrence of failure."

-- I Wonder (doyouknow@about.this), November 19, 1999.

Okinawa Electric Power Company http://www.okiden.co.jp/english/y2k/index.html

System Compliance Status (1) Control Systems (Power Supply Control System, Power Station Plant Control Systems, etc.): "As the Power Supply Control System does not use dated information for its control functions, there is no possibility of disruption to its operation in 2000. Those computers used for monitoring and recording use dated information, and compliance measures are being implemented for these machines, such as the replacement of software that performs sequential steps. Compliance measures for control systems are scheduled for completion by the end of 1999. In addition to upgraded programs and equipment being tested by manufacturers, validation tests for other important items will be conducted by OEPC."

Hokkaido Electric Power Company http://www.hepco.co.jp/english/news/year2000.html

(1) Control systems: "Control systems such as Dispatch Control Systems, Power Station Systems and Dam Operation Systems use computers for the purpose of monitoring, controlling, and logging of power equipment. Basically, the Y2K problem will not affect systems to control power supply, because they do not use the date information to function. However, some alterations should be necessary for functions related to monitoring and logging in order to have correct displaying and printing of data that include date information. In this respect, we have already identified which function needed alterations, and we have completed necessary alterations by the end of August 1999. Therefore there will be no impact on electricity supply due to the Y2K problem."

Tohoku Electric Power Co http://www.tohoku-epco.co.jp/2000y/2000y-e.htm

"As of now, we have guidelines for when a computer comes to a stop. In addition, we were prepared a contingency plan answerable for every risk, by June 1999."

Chubu Electric Power Company http://www.chuden.co.jp/2000/index-e.html

Business data processing systems: "There are various business data processing systems such as the customers information (billing) system for computing electric charges for users and the total construction , materials & accounting system used for providing construction materials and for related accounting work. From 1990 to 1998, we developed new mission critical systems and completely overhauled the systems to ensure efficient operations. During this period, we considered the Y2K problem. We completely checked the business data processing systems in March, 1999.'

Osaka Gas Company http://www.osakagas.co.jp/y2k/english.html

Gas production and distribution: "It has been confirmed, after our surveys down to the microchip level, that no date,month, and year information is used in the control systems and facilities which employ computer systems and microprocessors for gas production and distribution. It has been concluded, therefore, that no impacts of Y2K are foreseeable. The results of our inspections and surveys have been reported to the Electricity and Gas Y2K Committee within the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry." 

http://www.osakagas.co.jp/y2k/y2kcont_e.html "Since natural gas regasification and supply are controlled in accordance with fluctuations in natural gas demand, controlling of facility operation does not require or use month-day-year data. We have surveyed our facilities down to the microchip level and confirmed no potential problems resulting from date-related information. As such, we do not expect any interruptions in the natural gas supply due to the Y2K problem. Although Y2K measures must be taken for functions that monitor the status and record the operation of regasification and supply systems, which are based on month-day-year data, these functions are completely separate from operating control and have no effect on control functions.'

http://www.osakagas.co.jp/y2k/english.html "This notice was prepared solely to inform viewers about the many and comprehensive steps that Osaka Gas is taking in order to prevent problems related to Y2K. It does not imply any guarantees or obligations by Osaka Gas."

-- I Wonder (doyouknow@about.this), November 19, 1999.

Yes, I do know a little about this...

Japan actually has the highest substation automation rate in the world.

I too, in almost eight years in Japan, have never experienced a moment of interruption in utilities. While it is true that Japanese utilities are overstaffed by U.S. standards, the basic principles and purpose of utility businesses are different. They provide employment and stable, trouble-free utillty service - a forgotten concept in some countries.

Japn's ability to exceed the U.S. in infrastructure preparedness (NTT, Japan's telecom provider and custodian of the national ATM network system, is also compliant) is related more to the nature of Japanese business style. Most of the systems use Japanese software and the 4-digit date has been a defacto standard here for about 10 years.

Systems using foreign-written software (which is where most of the money has been spent in y2k remediation) have to be modified to use the Japanese calendar interchangeably. Thus, a conversion routine (using 4-digit dates to calculate and change to/from and between the Showa or Hesei era are commonplace. Many Japanese companies began to implement 4 digit data and routines during the era change 10 years ago. The Japanese were not bound by an arbitrary 'standard' of dates by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Almost all ATM machines (Citibank has announced they will stay open) will be closed from the rollover to January 4th and financial institutions will be testing and confirming again their systems prior to reopening. Twenty-four hour ATM access is relatively new here, so the public will not feel burdened by this. having a thousand dollars worth of yen in your wallet is not an unusual feeling here and most Japanese have 4-5 times that somewhere in the house. It was only a few years ago that ATMs were not open on weekends... we had to get cash on Fridays and always lots of it during the new-year period.

Some international telecommunication carriers may have some problems, but I have a warm and fuzzy feeling about NTT - And I'm smarter than the average bear about NTT and telecommunications here.

Sooooo... As I said months ago, I think Japan's infrastructure is now second to none.

Where are the potential trouble spots? I think the supply chain will experience tightening in April. The effects of the Taiwan earthquake on the television and monitor business will be felt in approximately 2 weeks. Again, I've got first-hand knowledge of the situation. Supplies will definitely be reduced (along with a few other parts essential to the computer assembly business. And the computer makers and consumers may be in for a little price and availabilty suprise around peak Christmas shopping time. It couldn't come at a worse time.

By extrapolation, the "Taiwan Effect" starting in January, 2000 will manifest down the supply chain in 3 months (April, 2000).

The booming U.S. economy (driven almost completely by hardware and software sales) may require the "Committee to Save the World" to earn their salaries to keep things from going to hell quickly in the Spring. But there may be little they can do to remedy the situation. It won't be a macroeconomic issue. It will be a technology issue and the "Committee" can't fix the equipment of small to medium size companies. They also can't go back in time to fill the supply chain with goods.

I don't think that Japan is any worse than the U.S. in relation to small to mid-size company preparedness. I think it's a 'global thing,' as we are all fond of saying.

It goes without saying that I could be

-- PNG (png@gol.com), November 19, 1999.

Hotlinks:

Kepco Okiden Kyuden Yonden Tohoku Rikuden Energia Chuden Hepco Osaka Gas Tokyo Gas

-- I Wonder (doyouknow@about.this), November 19, 1999.

Also lived in Japan for five years and experienced no power failures or fluctuations. BUT, and this is a big but, Japan doesn't believe in their own fallibility. I guarantee you that there will be problems there...hopefully small ones. I worked with their engineers. They do not prepare for things like Y2K. Not in their nature. They feel they did it right the first time.

Recall the Kobe earthquake? They had built the BEST engineered structures known to man and THEY WOULDN'T FAIL....but they did. They are not used to failure and if things do break down....expect lots of apologies, firings, loss of face and slow fixes....it must be done right...Plus they have the largest managerial staff on the planet. And they run on concensus.

Word to the wise, if you live there, STOCK UP!

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), November 19, 1999.

PNG

Nice to see you posting again. How are you doing?

-- Johnny Canuck (j_canuck@hotmail.com), November 19, 1999.