Y2K bug won't affect power supply: PLN<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State electricity company PT PLN declared on
\nWednesday Y2K readiness and assured the public that there would
\nbe no power failures at the turn of the millennium.<\/p>\n
PLN president Adhi Satrya said power distribution across the
\ncountry, as well as electricity billing systems, would not be
\naffected by the millennium bug.<\/p>\n
\"The public can conduct their business as usual,\" Adhi said
\nduring a ceremony announcing PLN's Y2K compliance at the PLN
\nJava-Bali power transmission unit in Cinere, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The company began preparing for the millennium bug in 1997,
\nand involved a three-year period of planning, testing and
\nremediations on its computer systems. It has invested
\nRp 33.7 billion (US$4.8 million) in the program.<\/p>\n
PLN placed priorities on systems affecting power supply and
\nbilling systems, Adhi said.<\/p>\n
Systems deemed critical included power plants controllers,
\ntransmission and distribution controllers, billing processing
\ncomputers and other support systems vital for PLN's operation.<\/p>\n
Although only 3.8 percent of equipment at PLN's power units
\nwas exposed to the possible threat of the millennium bug, that
\nequipment generated almost 60 percent of PLN's total installed
\ncapacity of 20,884 megawatts, he said.<\/p>\n
PLN had upgraded 6,300 personal computers, 72 mini computers
\nand eight mainframes, working with different firms issuing their
\nown Y2K certification for their products, he said.<\/p>\n
PLN's four independent power producers and Pertamina, the
\nstate company which supplied gas and geothermal energy, were also
\nY2K compliant, he said.<\/p>\n
The millennium, or Y2K, bug refers to the inability of some
\ncomputers to read the year 2000 and may revert to 1900, causing
\nwidespread havoc.<\/p>\n
Adhi said PLN had established Y2K posts at all their power
\nunits. Besides informing the public about PLN's Y2K preparations,
\nthe posts would provide the public with assistance on power
\nproblems during the turn to the year 2000.<\/p>\n
On New Year's Eve, all PLN directors would be on standby at
\nseveral Y2K posts to anticipate the millennium bug.<\/p>\n
\"I'll be spending New Year's Eve at the Y2K central post,\"
\nAdhi said, referring to the facility at PLN's head office on Jl.
\nTrunojoyo in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Before a small group of some 30 invitees, PLN ran a Y2K
\nsimulation on Wednesday morning, switching the date on the
\ncomputer system to Dec. 31, and the time to just before 00 a.m.<\/p>\n
When the clock in the control room showed 00 a.m, there were
\nno disturbances in the transmission of electricity for Java and
\nBali.<\/p>\n
Asked how PLN could guarantee consumers an uninterrupted power
\nsupply, Adhi said the company had policies to handle power
\nfailures, regardless of the cause.<\/p>\n
PLN has also prepared several contingency plans should the
\nmillennium bug affect power supplies on Dec. 31.<\/p>\n
Zulkifli, an official at PLN's Y2K central post, said PLN
\nwould activate its backup control, a device separate from the
\nmain computer systems, to prevent power failures. A second
\nscenario would see the company switching to manual operations.<\/p>\n
To anticipate a power outage, PLN would raise the reserve
\npower supply in all its units. (03)<\/p>",
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