For More Information Contact:
William Schalk
Communications Manager
American Electric Power
Cook Nuclear Plant
616/465-6101
AEP Expects to Meet Summer Customer Demand While Cook Nuclear Plant Restart Effort Continues
May 8, 1998•News Release
BRIDGMAN, Mich., May 8, 1998 -- American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP)
officials announced today that they expect to meet the electric needs of
internal customers through the peak summer months, even though the two-unit
Cook Nuclear Plant will likely be out of service through the period.
Even without the 2,110 megawatts of Cook generation, AEP has
sufficient capacity existing in coal generating units for its industrial,
commercial, and residential customers. The Cook Nuclear Plant represents
approximately 9 percent of AEP’s generating capacity.
The Nuclear Generation Group has developed a restart plan for the
units that will identify and address conditions necessary to the safe
restart and operation of the units. A major focus of the current restart
work is inspection and repair of the ice condenser systems. Some of the
work activities will run concurrently on both units, but work on Unit 1
will take precedence over work on Unit 2.
“The units will be returned to service after we are certain we have
identified and addressed conditions necessary for safe restart and
operation of the units,” said site vice president John Sampson. “And right
now schedules indicate that work will likely continue through the summer.”
The units have been off-line since Sept. 9, 1997 when plant personnel
questioned whether plant systems used to cool the reactor and containment
during a postulated accident would function on a long-term basis. On Sept.
19, 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Confirmatory
Action Letter which detailed the issues raised during an August, 1997 NRC
design inspection.
AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States’ largest
investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and
Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy
consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is
based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive
merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central
and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.
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