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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION II 61 Forsyth Street, Suite 23T85, Atlanta, GA 30303
	CONTACT:	Ken Clark (Phone: 404-562-4416, E-mail: kmc2@nrc.gov )
		Roger Hannah (Phone 404-562-4417, E-mail: rdh1@nrc.gov )

No. II-97-39

May 14, 1997

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a meeting with Duke Power for 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 16 to discuss the readiness for restart of Units 2 and 3 at the Oconee nuclear power plant near Seneca, South Carolina.

On May 3, two of three Unit 3 reactor coolant system high pressure injection pumps experienced low water flow, causing them to cavitate (pump air instead of water) and be taken out of service following a planned shutdown. An NRC Augmented Inspection Team arrived at the plant Monday, May 5, and began looking into the company's actions associated with the event. The May 15 meeting will discuss both the degradation of the Unit 3 high pressure injection system and concerns with cracking of high pressure injection nozzles on both Unit 2 and Unit 3.

The meeting with Duke Power is open to public observation and NRC officials will be available to answer questions after the meeting.