|
Ontario Hydro says it is working hard on correcting its business systems. So, its customers will be billed in 2000 and beyond, if Ontario Hydro is successful in getting its billing software compliant.
The company is silent on the embedded chip problem.
Nothing on the actual status of its 6,000 or so suppliers.
Nothing on its vendor-supplied software.
It says other power companires it has talked to are confident. But they are silent on these issues, too.
Ontario Hydro is making contingency plans. It won't say what they are. (It may have something to do with supplying flashlight batteries at a discount to its customers; I'm not sure.)
The company says it plans to let its customers know how it is doing. As John Wayne used to say, "That'll be the day."
It expects to be ready for testing in 1998.
If it doesn't make it, panic will be appropriate in Ontario, beginning on New Year's Day, 1999.
* * * * * * * * *
To date, all business units have completed their analysis and have begun actual system conversion. Conversion, testing and deployment work for critical systems is taking place now, and we expect to complete the bulk of this work in 1998 to ensure that our generation, transmission, distribution and control facilities are equipped to meet the year 2000 threat. . . .
Our relationship with our suppliers is another important area that must be well managed to ensure our customers are not adversely affected by transition past the year 2000. We have engaged our suppliers whenever possible in efforts to ensure that the products and services Hydro acquires in the future will all be Year 2000 compliant, and in examining and upgrading the products Hydro has acquired in the past. We plan to work very closely with our suppliers of fuels and other critical products and services so that the risk of failure is minimized from the beginning of the supply chain. . . .
We also plan to minimize the risk of failure throughout the supply chain including delivery of our product to the end customer. Ontario Hydro plans to communicate with its customers and other stakeholders on how it is addressing the issue, as well as create customer awareness of the issue so that they, in turn, can address Year 2000-related problems in their homes and businesses.
|