NERC APRIL 9 PRESS RELEASE:
Electric Systems Exercise Y2K Telecommunications Capabilities
Overall, we can report that the drill was a successful exercise of back up voice systems and manual procedures needed to operate in the unlikely event of a loss of communications due to Y2K ...
This drill was extremely valuable for the training of personnel and practicing backup communications procedures. Many lessons learned have been identified in the initial assessment ...
- There were some incorrect phone numbers identified.
- Geographic coverage of low and high frequency radios will require relocation of some antennas.
- Personnel require additional training on the use of satellite voice systems; however, some of these systems have been only recently installed, leaving little time for training prior to the drill.
- Some congestion of voice traffic on some of the backup systems indicates a need to establish and practice voice traffic priorities.
- Some of the backup voice transmissions were noisy.
- A small number of the backup systems did not work as planned and will require further checkout prior to the next drill.
- There were severe lightning storms in the Midwest today associated with a storm front; this weather did temporarily interfere with some of the radio systems.
ftp://ftp.nerc.com/pub/sys/all_updl/docs/pressrel/4-9-99-y2k-drill-press-release.pdf
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But Pepco could not have passed critical operating information to other interconnected utilities beyond its borders if the phone network had failed, Pepco engineers said, because its radio system won't reach that far.
It will take another month to fix that potential threat, by establishing a satellite phone link between Pepco and a major utility command center for the east coast at Valley Forge, Pa.
"Today," Kafka said, "it wouldn't have worked."
HEADLINE: "Pepco Passes a Preliminary Y2K Test"
search.washingtonpost.com
Pepco serves Washington D.C. and Maryland Suburbs
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In preparations for yesterday's drill, Peco discovered that its satellite phone would not work from the windowless control room. As a result, it will hard-wire the satellite phones to an antenna outside ...
One lesson from the drill, Baranowski said, was that it took too long to collect all the data originally envisioned from each of the 11 generating stations. So, after baseline readings were recorded, plant operators reported actual readings only if there had been a change.
Elsewhere, the Electric Reliability Council reported scattered problems with equipment failure and poor reception. Lightning storms temporarily interfered with radio communications in the Midwest.
HEADLINE: "Electricity providers successful in Y2K communications test"
phillynews.com
Peco serves Philadelphia area.
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Ho said the radio system suffered from static and will need to be modified. He also said the test exposed some weaknesses in the way ComEd organized data to share with other utilities ...
HEADLINE: "ComEd survives Y2K test"
suntimes.com
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"The loonies out there who are profiting by panic over Y2K may not have it quite right," said John Castagna, a spokesman for the Washington-based Edison Electric Institute, an industry group whose members generate about three-quarters of the country's electricity. "We're working hard to make sure January 1, 2000, is just like every other day."
HEADLINE: "Power plants put Y2K bug to stiff test - Nationwide drill via radio is successful"
dailysouthtown.com
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BACKGROUND ON NERC APRIL 9 NATIONWIDE DRILL
Message 8310160
ONE FINAL OBSERVATION:
- Several hundred generating units participated in the drill (coal, gas, oil, coal, hydro, and nuclear facilities) ... but, not all.
- Over 500 critical electric facilities ... but, not all.
After seeing some of the problems encountered in this NERC test, I wish there was a government mandate that ALL generating units and electric facilities are REQUIRED to participate in future nationwide drills.
Cheryl |
