Entergy, Nebraska Public Power District Extend Nuclear Services Agreement

Cooper Nuclear Station agreement extended for an additional 15 years

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Jan 28, 2010, 04:22 ET

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Entergy Nuclear, the nation's second largest nuclear power operator, has signed an agreement with Nebraska Public Power District to extend management support services to Cooper Nuclear Station until January 2029. The original contract between the companies, signed in 2003, was for the remaining years of the plant's original operating license, currently due to expire in 2014 and presently under review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a 20-year license extension.

"The decision to extend the Support Services Agreement was based on the significant improvements in regulatory and operational performance realized at Cooper since the beginning of the agreement in 2003," said Ron Asche, NPPD chief executive officer. "I believe that NPPD and Entergy have established an effective partnership that bodes well for the future of Cooper."

John Herron, Entergy chief nuclear officer, said, "NPPD's partnering with Entergy has mutual benefits. It gives single-plant owners like NPPD the advantages of owning a nuclear asset while also obtaining the benefits and economies of scale that come with being affiliated with a large nuclear operating fleet. Our nuclear expertise is then enhanced by having additional opportunity to evaluate industry best practices from all the plants including Cooper." He added, "We believe that this support services agreement is a model for the industry, where we at Entergy can apply our fleet leverage to add value and assist non-fleet operators."

Asche agreed. "The Support Services Agreement has provided the resources that NPPD was looking for to secure its objective of remaining in the nuclear generation business, which is a proud part of our heritage. It remains important to our Board that NPPD retain the responsibility and accountability for the CNS operating license while enhancing job security for the hundreds of NPPD employees who help manage and operate the plant daily. With greenhouse gas concerns, having CNS as an important part of our diverse generation mix is now more critical than ever. I believe that the fleet affiliation with Entergy also reduces our overall business risk as a single-unit owner and operator."

Cooper is an 810-megawatt boiling water reactor near Brownville, Neb. Entergy Vice President Stewart Minahan serves as NPPD's chief nuclear officer and Cooper senior vice president, reporting to Asche.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $13 billion and approximately 14,700 employees.

Always there when you need us, NPPD's mission is to safely generate and deliver low-cost reliable energy and provide outstanding customer service. Working in partnership with the state's rural public power districts, cooperatives and municipalities, NPPD helps serve an estimated 1 million Nebraskans with retail or wholesale electric power and energy-related products and services.

Entergy Nuclear's online address is entergy-nuclear.com.

Nebraska Public Power District's online address is www.nppd.com

SOURCE Entergy Corporation