Y2K and Alaska utilities.

• Author: Middleton, Saundra
• Position: Year 2000 computer problem

Bob Day of Municipal Light & Power warns that there will be power outages across Anchorage when the new year rings in at the turn of the century.

"It'll be a Saturday night. It'll be New Year's Eve, "he explains. "Drunks and power poles don't get along."

But what about the Y2K Bug?

When it comes to electricity, Alaska's Y2K advantage is that it does not have an extensive grid system where shared power crosses a multitude of state lines.

The most extensive grid for Alaska is along the Railbelt. From Homer to Fairbanks, six electric utilities feed into the system. If one goes down, it would affect the system, but the others could help keep power on.

The disadvantage to Alaska is that so many communities are separated by extensive distances. For most communities, utilities are self-contained within the community boundaries.

If the power supplier in Hoonah goes down, for example, it won't affect Bethel's power. But backup isn't a flip away.

If several communities have extensive utility problems, state emergency services may be hard-pressed to help.

Evaluating Utilities

To avoid disruptions in utilities service, Alaska is one of only a few states nationwide whose Public Utility Commission has taken steps to monitor and evaluate its state's utilities. In June 1998, APUC sent order R-98-2(1) to more than 400 Alaska utilities seeking information on Y2K readiness.

"Y2K is of national interest," states Agnes Pitts, Alaska Public Utility Commission spokesperson. "APUC has oversight over regulated utilities supplying water, gas, electric and telephone services. Ordering a survey was the responsible thing to do to ensure little or no impact on the customer."

The commission is hiring a consultant to evaluate the surveys. The consultant's primary responsibilities include determining who has responded, check with those who have not, and assess any utilities that may not be ready by the century change.

What if the utilities don't respond or don't comply with Y2K readiness?

"It's premature to say what will happen until we see where the problem lies and what entities are involved," responds Pitts. A full report is due June 7, with an update in October. (APUC issues orders on a variety of topics for utilities' compliance. They have the option of assessing civil penalties that can amount to $100 a day per customer if utilities don't comply.)

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