Navy Denies It Expects Extensive Y2K Utility Failures

The Navy on Friday denied reports it expects widespread failures in power, water and other utility services in the United States because of the Year 2000 computer bug.

Although the Navy has not verified that all cities and communities near its installations are fully prepared for the Y2K problem, its survey of local utilities is showing a steady improvement, said Rear Adm. Louis M. Smith.

“I don’t think we have a problem with utilities,” Smith, commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, told reporters at a hastily called Pentagon news conference.

The Navy also stated, “There are no indications of likely widespread failures of water, electricity, gas or sewer.”

The Navy is compiling a database to track the probability of Y2K problems with electrical, water, natural gas and sewer services in communities near Navy and Marine Corps installations. A recent version of the report showed that partial failures in electric utilities were probable or likely in communities that serve nearly 60 Navy and Marine Corps installations.

Smith said that reflected a “worst-case scenario” in which those utilities whose Y2K preparedness was unknown to the Navy were assumed to be likely problems. The most recent version of the database, dated Aug. 19 and including more complete information, showed about 20 likely problem utilities, he said.

The White House recently concluded that national electrical failures are “highly unlikely.” It also called disruptions in water service “increasingly unlikely.”