Exhibit 99
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company                For Immediate Release
Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station
5501 N. State Route 2
Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449

News Media Contact:                                  Investor Relations Contact:
Richard Wilkins                                      Kurt Turosky
(419) 321-7145                                       (330) 384-5500


            FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY FINALIZES PLANS FOR
                        INSTRUMENTATION TUBES INSPECTIONS

         FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) announced today that it
has finalized plans to evaluate the 52 incore monitoring instrumentation tubes
on the bottom of the reactor vessel at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.
The incore tubes, less than one-inch in diameter, are used to insert
instrumentation through the vessel and into fuel assemblies to measure the
extent of fuel usage.

         This detailed inspection plan was developed by FENOC and Framatome ANP,
manufacturer of the reactor, when rust stains were found on the bottom of
Davis-Besse's reactor vessel. Flow paths running down the sides of the reactor
vessel suggest the rust stains resulted from previous high-pressure washing of
the reactor vessel or previous refueling activities, and samples do not have the
level of radioactivity that would accompany an active leak. Even so, subsequent
chemical analyses have not confirmed the source of the stains.

         To further ensure that the tubes at the bottom of the reactor are not
leaking, the integrity of the tubes will be tested by bringing the reactor
vessel to operating pressure prior to returning the plant to service. Following
cool down, a visual inspection will be conducted. As a contingency, the program
includes development of a detailed process for repairing incore tubes, if any
flaws are identified. The program also includes visual inspections of the incore
tubes during the next scheduled outage.

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           Industry experience regarding the incore tubes has not shown any
susceptibility to stress cracking. These tubes are exposed to relatively low
temperatures and therefore are not expected to experience stress corrosion
cracking, which is generally associated with higher temperatures. Although
visual inspections of the incore tubes are not routinely conducted in the United
States, inspections and testing of this equipment at 17 French plants of similar
design have discovered no cracking or leaking.

         Davis-Besse  is owned by Akron,  Ohio-based  FirstEnergy  Corp.,  and
operated  by its FENOC  subsidiary. FirstEnergy is a registered public utility
holding company.



Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking
statements based on information currently available to management. Such
statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. These statements
typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms "anticipate," "potential,"
"expect," "believe," "estimate" and similar words. Actual results may differ
materially due to the speed and nature of increased competition and deregulation
in the electric utility industry, economic or weather conditions affecting
future sales and margins, changes in markets for energy services, changing
energy market prices, legislative and regulatory changes or approvals (including
revised environmental requirements), availability and cost of capital, inability
to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits of strategic goals and other
similar factors.


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