The Iowa Utilit Board Readiness Report was on KCCI TV on 07-14-99, link at http://www.kcci.com/news/storylinks.html. Click on Iowa Utility Board Readiness Report. Looks like Iowa might be in for a real bumpy road.......

-- Nancy (HAYSandCO@aol.com), July 14, 1999

Answers

Holy Moly. I'm having trouble believing these survey responses (and non-response numbers) ever saw the light of day. I'm going to have to study this more tomorrow, but thanks, Nancy, for posting the link! I've rarely seen such a straightforward report, giving data received or not received, with little comment or "spin". And with all types of utility data compiled together.

My hat's off to the Iowa Utility Board. It may not be pretty, but it's in the public domain.

-- Bonnie Camp (bonniec@mail.odyssey.net), July 14, 1999.

Hmm. I'm kinda happy I moved to a rural area now.

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moines (dtmiller@nevia.net), July 15, 1999.

Bonnie - I look forward to your comments.

Note to all - the report is a PDF file, so you'll need Acrobat Reader, which you can download from here. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), July 15, 1999.

Thank you for this post, Nancy.

The data is bad enough as is but when you consider that it is self reported and then factor in the '80/20 rule', it becomes more than a little sobering. If this data is anywhere close to accurate, it indicates a significant degree of negligence on the part of many of these utilities.

If significant problems do occur at these utilities, they will certainly not be able to classify them as 'force majure'. Not that it really matters. It's clear at this point no one will ever be held accountable. What are you gonna do - revoke their license? Shut them down? Fine them so much that it impacts their bottom line? Not bloody likely. Besides, the government's already given them a "Get Out Of Deep Kim Chee Free" card.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), July 15, 1999.

Here's a link to the pdf file: Iowa Utility Board Readiness Report

and a snippet (with comments)

All types of utility data (gas, electric, water, telephone) are compiled. Of 183 surveys sent out in the electric utility section, there were 154 responses. Sixteen percent (29) didn't answer.

Thirty (30=16% of the 183) of the electric utilities responding and answering the "Percent Ready" question were at 50% or less (how many responded but didn't answer the question?). Of those electric utilities answering the estimated completion date question (how many?), 26% reported they would be "Ready" by the end of the second quarter. 81% of the total answering expected to be ready by the end of the third quarter of this year, and the rest by the end of the year.

[what about the percent and number that are *ready* NOW? Could it be ZERO?)

Forty five percent of electric utilities answered that they had a contingency plan.

[55% DON'T EVEN HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN???!!!]

The electric utility response rates were the best of the lot, with gas utilities next.

(This is sad... very sad).

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 15, 1999.

Thanks for the report Nancy. I could have used it at my city's first contingency planning meeting. The Alliant Energy rep stated he would have power up and running no later than 24 hours(i didn't ask if that was a quarantee) and that they could island themselves from the grid. There was so much "happy talk" and what's the latest rumor BS that I couldn't believe these people were even serious about the whole process. I will see what they say at the next meeting.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), July 15, 1999.

Bonnie started a thread on this on the euy2k forum. Link <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), July 15, 1999.