AEP Holds Third Restart Meeting for Cook Nuclear Plant with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Aug. 25, 1998•News Release

BRIDGMAN, Mich., Aug. 25, 1998 -- Officials of American Electric Power's (NYSE:AEP) Cook Nuclear Plant met with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission today in the third in a series of restart meetings for the plant. At the meeting, held at NRC Region III headquarters in Lisle, Ill., AEP made presentations on: -- Unit One’s restart schedule progress -- Newly developed restart performance measures -- A planned, internal, “NRC-type” safety inspection -- Status of ice condenser system refurbishment -- Licensing submittals to the NRC -- Improvements to the corrective action program Plant officials shut down both units at the site in September 1997 because of questions raised during an NRC design inspection. The public meetings are part of the NRC’s formal restart process. "These restart meetings allow us to maintain a continual public dialogue with the NRC about our restart plans and progress," said site vice president John Sampson. "Our restart plan provides the framework for our activities, but we are constantly adapting as work progresses." One new initiative is the development of restart readiness performance measures. Senior nuclear generation managers review work-down curves and performance indicators for relevant restart activities on a weekly basis. AEP has also identified the activities which pose the greatest challenges to the current restart schedule. The schedule now calls for readying the 1,020 megawatt Unit One to return to service before the end of the year, and 1,090 megawatt Unit Two during the first quarter of 1999. Refurbishment of the ice condenser systems, modifications to the containment spray system, review of and revisions to the plant’s safety analysis documentation, and performance of an internal safety system functional inspection all have the potential to adversely impact the schedule. In September, AEP will perform a safety system functional inspection of the plant’s auxiliary feedwater system. This in-depth inspection is similar to the type the NRC performed during their design inspection in September, 1997. The NRC will be closely monitoring AEP's performance of this inspection and also evaluate the results. Progress continues on the refurbishment of the plant’s ice condenser systems. An evaluation is underway into whether all basket repairs will be completed prior to reloading any ice. Final determination of this scheduling logic may impact the Unit One schedule end date. The ice condensers, which hold 2.5 million pounds of ice in 1,944 cylindrical baskets, would be used to reduce pressure in the containment building and supply long-term cooling water in the event of an accident. 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.

For More Information, Contact: William Schalk Communications Manager American Electric Power Cook Nuclear Plant 616/465-6101

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