Duke-NRC meeting

At this hour (1 p-m EST) Duke and NRC officials are meeting near Washington, in what is described as a pre-decisional enforcement conference for what the Nuclear Regulatory Commission considers an apparent violation of a license condition on fire protection at Oconee Nuclear Station. Duke Energy officials are being allotted 45 minutes this afternoon to make their case as to why it failed to meet a deadline to strengthen fire protection at the plant and, possibly, mitigate the potential fine that may come from it. The meeting is considered a last step before the NRC decides what penalty, if any, is appropriate.