OAK HARBOR, Ohio - Nuclear regulators on Wednesday told operators of the Davis-Besse nuclear plant that they had concerns about the company's monitoring of contractors working at the site.

Lew Myers, president of FirstEnergy Corp.'s nuclear division, said minor problems with the contractors, who are replacing the plant's reactor head, forced some work to stop. He said the Akron-based company wasn't overly concerned with any of the problems.

The reactor cap is being replaced after boric acid nearly ate through it. It was the most extensive corrosion ever at a U.S. nuclear reactor and led to a nationwide review of all 69 similar plants. A second, smaller hole was found later at Davis-Besse located near Toledo.

Members of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission panel looking into damage at the plant asked FirstEnergy on Wednesday if it had too much work going on at the site to properly monitor the contractors. As many as 1,300 contractors are working on repairs there.

FirstEnergy officials said they have added more staff members to oversee and inspect the work and are confident it's being done properly.

FirstEnergy also told regulators that as part of its plan to repair the plant, it will add monitors that can detect small leaks on and around the reactor vessel. The company plans to have the monitors working sometime next year.

FirstEnergy is paying about $200 million to repair the plant, install a new lid and buy replacement power until it is restarted. The reactor has been shut down since Feb. 16.

The company wants to restart the plant early next year. Regulators have not indicated when they will allow it to operate again.

ON THE NET

http://www.nrc.gov/

http://www.ucsusa.org/

http://www.firstenergycorp.com/