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Westinghouse Lauds Progress Energy for Proactive, Forward-Looking Approach to Nuclear Fleet Expansion

Posted on: Monday, 23 January 2006, 12:00 CST

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company today lauded Progress Energy for its proactive and forward-looking approach to possible expansion of its fleet of commercial nuclear power plants.

"Progress' decision to select both a site and technology for expansion will facilitate both cost- and time-efficient construction and operation should Progress decide to expand its fleet," said Steve Tritch, Westinghouse President and CEO. "With this action, Progress is showing that it intends to make decisions in a reasoned and proactive manner."

Mr. Tritch's comments follow announcement that Progress has selected the Harris Nuclear Plant site near New Hill, N.C., as its potential first site and Westinghouse to supply its AP1000 reactors for future expansion of the Progress nuclear fleet.

The AP1000 received Design Certification from the U.S. Nuclear regulatory Commission just last month. It is the only Generation III+ nuclear power plant to have received either Final Design Approval or Design Certification. Competing technologies are still in the earliest stages (application or pre- application submittal) of the multi-year Design Certification process and cannot expect certification until late 2009 or 2010 at the earliest.

Progress' selection of the AP1000 is the most recent in a series of positive announcements regarding the AP1000 and commercial nuclear power in the United States.

In addition to Design Certification by the NRC, Duke Power announced in October, 2005 that it would pursue a Combined Construction and Operating License for two AP1000s at a still-to-be-determined site. In September 2005, NuStart, the nation's largest consortium of nuclear power companies, selected TVA's Bellefonte Nuclear Plant site for a COL application for the AP1000.

Westinghouse believes the AP1000 is ideally suited for the worldwide nuclear power marketplace. The AP1000 is:

- The safest, most advanced, yet proven nuclear power plant currently available in the worldwide marketplace (conservative probabilistic risk assessment (PRA): core damage frequency potential at negligible 2.5x10- 7) - Based on standard Westinghouse pressurized water reactor (PWR) technology that has achieved more than 2,500 reactor years of highly successful operation - Is an 1100 MWe design that is ideal for providing baseload generating capacity - Modular in design, promoting ready standardization and high construction quality - Economical to operate (less concrete and steel and fewer components and systems mean there is less to install, inspect and maintain) - Simplified to promote ease of operation (features most advanced instrumentation and control (I&C) in the industry)

For more information about the Westinghouse AP1000, visit its Web site at http://www.ap1000.westinghousenuclear.com/. For images of the AP1000, visit http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/D6.asp.

Westinghouse Electric Company is the world's pioneering nuclear power company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first PWR in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Westinghouse Electric Company

CONTACT: Vaughn Gilbert of Westinghouse Electric Company,+1-412-374-3896, or gilberhv@westinghouse.com

Web site: http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/http://www.ap1000.westinghousenuclear.com/http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/D6.asp

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/127481.html

Source: PRNewswire

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