FirstEnergy postpones nuclear plant upgrades

SHIPPINGPORT — FirstEnergy Corp. has postponed improvements to
the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 until 2020 in an effort
to reduce capital project spending.

Initially, the company planned to replace the Unit 2
steam generator and reactor vessel head in 2017, 30 years after the unit
began operating.

FirstEnergy attributed the change to slow growth in
the demand for electricity and lower-than-expected market prices. The
move comes as the company also is postponing upgrades to its Bruce
Mansfield coal-fired power plant.

“Fabrication and delivery of the replacement steam
generators and reactor vessel head for Unit 2 will continue on the
current schedule so that they will be on site and available in the fall
of 2016,” said FirstEnergy spokeswoman Jennifer Young. “We will continue
to closely monitor the steam generators and reactor vessel head to
ensure they operate safely until replacement occurs.”