US House panel to investigate FirstEnergy nuke plant
Date: 17-May-02
Country: USA
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission launched an investigation earlier this year after a severely corroded cavity was found in the reactor vessel head at FirstEnergy's 25-year-old plant in Oak Harbor, Ohio.
"Public confidence in the safety of nuclear energy is critically important to our long-range energy needs," said Rep. Billy Tauzin, who chairs the committee. "America needs nuclear power, but it needs to be safe as well."
Investigators from the panel will travel to Toledo, Ohio, next week to inspect the plant, Tauzin said. The investigation was launched at the request of Ohio Rep. Paul Gillmor, a Republican, who said he wants to prevent the corrosion that occurred at Davis-Besse from happening at other plants.
There are currently 103 operating U.S. nuclear plants that produce about 20 percent of the nation's electricity.
