New emergency operations facility for nuclear power plant


FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp, broke ground today on a new emergency operations facility in Lindsey, Ohio, for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.

The new 12,000 square-foot facility will allow for improved coordination between the plant and state and local emergency management agencies during the unlikely event of an emergency at the plant.

Personnel will utilize state-of-the-art equipment to monitor environmental conditions and communicate with state and local emergency representatives. The facility will also be used during quarterly training drills and bi-annual emergency exercises evaluated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Construction of the new building is expected to be completed in February 2012. Until then, the current emergency operation facility at the Davis-Besse station and a smaller, alternate back-up location at FirstEnergy's Lindsey Service Center will be available for operation.

"Protecting public health and safety is our top priority at FENOC and Davis-Besse," said Barry Allen, vice president of Davis-Besse. "The new facility underscores our commitment to the community and will ensure our responsibility to the public is fully upheld."

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its FENOC subsidiary also operates the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry, Ohio.