[cdn-nucl-l] Duke Power's Nuclear Stations Meet Customer Demand in Record Fashion

["Adam McLean" <adam.mclean@utoronto.ca>]

Posted in the Charlotte Metro on August 13, 2002 and at:
http://dbusinessnews.com/cgi-script/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=charlotte
headlines%2edb&command=viewone&id=319&op=t
Great progress from Duke down south,

Adam

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Duke Power's Nuclear Stations Meet Customer Demand in Record Fashion
08-13-2002

CHARLOTTE -- During a hot, humid summer in which electricity demand has
been consistently high, Duke Power's nuclear stations have established a
new reliability record.

The company's seven units in North Carolina and South Carolina have
simultaneously operated for a record 86 consecutive days -- eclipsing
the old record of 85 days set in the summer of 2000.

For the first half of 2002, nuclear generation has provided 60 percent
of Duke Power customers' electricity needs. This is especially important
because a four-year drought has seriously limited the availability of
the company's hydroelectric generators.

"This is why Duke Power has advocated a diverse energy mix to meet
people's electricity needs," said Michael S. Tuckman, executive vice
president, nuclear generation. "Our balance has enabled us to meet our
customers' electricity demands without interruption."

Duke Power's nuclear fleet is amassing an enviable long-term performance
record. Back in May, Catawba unit 1 set a national record for shortest
refueling/maintenance outage by an ice condenser plant -- 21 days, one
hour.

Two months earlier, McGuire unit 2 set a station record for shortest
refueling outage -- 32 days, six hours, 40 minutes.

In 2000, Oconee Nuclear Station operated all three of its units
simultaneously for 179 consecutive days, which is a national record for
a three-unit station, according to a review by the Nuclear Energy
Institute.

And last year, Oconee unit 2 operated for a company-record 485
consecutive days.

"What this proves is we're getting better in the efficiency and
effectiveness of our refueling/maintenance outages, resulting in shorter
outages and more reliable operation," Tuckman said. "Our employees
deserve much of the credit for their focus on safety, dedication and
work ethic.

"The bottom line is our stations are available and generating low-cost
electricity when our customers need it most."

Duke Power, a business unit of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) , is one of the
nation's largest electric utilities and provides safe, reliable,
competitively priced electricity to approximately two million customers
in North Carolina and South Carolina. Duke Power operates three nuclear
generating stations, eight coal-fired stations, 31 hydroelectric
stations and numerous combustion turbine units. Total system generating
capability is approximately 19,300 megawatts. More information about
Duke Power is available on the Internet at: http://www.dukepower.com/.