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:
Richard Wilkins
(419) 321-7129



                   NEW REACTOR HEAD INSTALLED AT DAVIS-BESSE;
                         REPLACEMENT POWER COSTS UPDATED

         FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) announced that personnel
at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station today are completing installation of
the new reactor head on the reactor vessel.

         Crews moved the 150-ton reactor head and its attached service structure
onto the vessel last night, and are tightening the retaining lugs and finishing
other related installation activities. The head had been placed on the reactor
vessel last month to assure it would seat properly on the vessel. It later was
removed to load fuel into the reactor core, which was completed late last month.

         "While we still have more work to do, this key milestone indicates the
significant progress we are making toward restoration of the plant," said FENOC
Chief Operating Officer and Davis-Besse Vice President Lew Myers. "This paves
the way to another major milestone - pressure testing the containment later this
month. We are now clearly in the testing phase of our restart plan."

         The containment pressure test, or integrated leak rate test, entails
using eight large compressors to increase air pressure in the containment vessel
to about 38 pounds per square inch. This pressure should hold for about six
hours to verify that the integrity of the containment vessel was properly
restored following the opening of the containment building.

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         In a related matter, FirstEnergy advised that the impact of unusually
cold weather on electricity demand has resulted in Davis-Besse-related purchased
power costs that averaged approximately $20 million per month in January and
February of 2003, up from earlier projections of $10 to $15 million per month.
Replacement power costs for subsequent non-summer months are expected to average
approximately $15 million per month.

         FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company is a subsidiary of the Akron,
Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp., 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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