The company's seven units in North Carolina and South Carolina have simultaneously operated for a record 86 consecutive days -- eclipsing the old record of 85 days set in the summer of 2000.

For the first half of 2002, nuclear generation has provided 60 percent of Duke Power customers’ electricity needs. This is especially important because a four-year drought has seriously limited the availability of the company’s hydroelectric generators.

“This is why Duke Power has advocated a diverse energy mix to meet people’s electricity needs,” said Michael S. Tuckman, executive vice president, nuclear generation. “Our balance has enabled us to meet our customers’ electricity demands without interruption.”

Duke Power’s nuclear fleet is amassing an enviable long-term performance record. Back in May, Catawba unit 1 set a national record for shortest refueling/maintenance outage by an ice condenser plant – 21 days, one hour.

Two months earlier, McGuire unit 2 set a station record for shortest refueling outage – 32 days, six hours, 40 minutes.

In 2000, Oconee Nuclear Station operated all three of its units simultaneously for 179 consecutive days, which is a national record for a three-unit station, according to a review by the Nuclear Energy Institute.

And last year, Oconee unit 2 operated for a company-record 485 consecutive days.   

“What this proves is we’re getting better in the efficiency and effectiveness of our   refueling/maintenance outages, resulting in shorter outages and more reliable operation,” Tuckman said. “Our employees deserve much of the credit for their focus on safety, dedication and work ethic.

“The bottom line is our stations are available and generating low-cost electricity when our customers need it most.”

Duke Power, a business unit of Duke Energy, is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities and provides safe, reliable, competitively priced electricity to approximately two million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. Duke Power operates three nuclear generating stations, eight coal-fired stations, 31 hydroelectric stations and numerous combustion turbine units. Total system generating capability is approximately 19,300 megawatts. More information about Duke Power is available on the Internet at: www.dukepower.com.

Duke Energy is a diversified multinational energy company with an integrated network of energy assets and expertise. The company manages a dynamic portfolio of natural gas and electric supply, delivery and trading businesses – meeting the energy needs of customers throughout North America and in key markets around the world. Duke Energy, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a Fortune 100 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.