Duke spokeswoman reacts to NRC decision

A spokeswoman for Duke Energy says not only the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is dissatisfied with a failure to meet a national fire protection standard, but so is her company not satisfied. “We recognize that we did not meet our initial schedule commitment for completion of the new fire protection program at Oconee. Missing that schedule did not miss the NRC’s expectations and did not meet our expectations,” said B-J Gatten, Duke spokeswoman at the World of Energy. But the electric utility and the government watchdog agency have agreed on a new timetable for Oconee Nuclear to meet NFPA Standard No. 805 by 2016. NRC announced yesterday a notice of violation, but no civil penalty was included.