FirstEnergy Nuclear Plants Recognized for Performance

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

FirstEnergy Nuclear Plants Recognized for Performance
  
AKRON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2000--FirstEnergy Corp.'s 
(NYSE:FE) Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station and the Perry Nuclear 
Power Plant were ranked among top operating plants in the world 
during 1999, according to information recently reported to the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. 

Davis-Besse, located in Oak Harbor, Ohio, was one of the most 
reliable plants in the world, posting a 95.7 percent capacity factor 
in 1999. The 925-megawatt plant's performance placed it 13th among 
the 104 plants in the nation and 31st, or in the top 8 percent, of 
the  426 nuclear power plants worldwide. Davis-Besse recorded a  94.9 
percent availability factor last year, operating 349 days and  only 
being out of service for a maintenance outage. 

Plant employees scored an excellent safety record last year by 
working 2.5 million hours without a lost-time accident. Employees in 
the Operations Department contributed to the record by completing 
their 20th year without a lost-time accident. 

The Perry Plant was a top generator in 1999, turning out more than 
9.4 million megawatt hours to place 15th in the United States and 
34th, also in the top 8 percent, in the world. The 1,250-megawatt 
unit, located in Perry, Ohio, operated continuously in 1999 except 
for a 37-day refueling outage, yielding a 89.6 percent availability 
factor. 

In the area of safety, Perry employees worked nearly 2 million hours 
without a lost-time accident in 1999. 

"Our goal is to build on Davis-Besse's and Perry's outstanding 
operating record in the year 2000," says Robert F. Saunders, 
president of FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company, a wholly owned 
subsidiary of FirstEnergy. "We also will continue to focus on 
maintaining our excellent safety performance while reducing operating 
costs." 

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE), headquartered in Akron, Ohio, is a 
diversified energy services holding company with more than $18 
billion in assets and more than $6 million in annual revenues. Its 
subsidiary, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company, operates the 
Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, as well as 
Davis-Besse and Perry. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/scperle
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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