NRC Approves GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s New Methodology to Help Utilities Evaluate Nuclear Power Plant Component Condition

WILMINGTON, N.C.—November 10, 2010—As utilities seek to increase the efficiency, reliability andsafety of their nuclear power stations, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) today announced the U.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) approval of a new methodology that operators can use tomore accurately evaluate the condition of steam dryers in current and future boiling water reactor(BWR) plants.

Located above the core within the reactor pressure vessel, the steam dryer is a crucial component thatremoves excess moisture from steam created in the plant’s reactor before it is delivered into theturbine-generator units to produce low-carbon, base-load electricity. With utilities seeking regulatorypermission to extend the operating licenses and increase the output of more of their BWR reactors,GEH developed the methodology to help operators evaluate the condition of their steam dryers.

Utilities must reference the steam dryer analysis when applying to the NRC for either a licenseamendment for an existing BWR unit—such as for a proposed plant uprate—or a license to build a newreactor based on GEH’s Generation III Advanced Boiling Water Reactor or next-generation EconomicSimplified Boiling Water Reactor designs.

GEH developed its analysis methodology to address NRC questions regarding the ability of U.S. utilitiesto predict how BWR steam dryers respond under current or future production requirements.

“As some U.S. utilities are preparing to possibly build new plants that offer greater reliability andefficiency, other operators are instead seeking NRC approval to extend the licenses of their existingreactors and uprate their production levels,” said Kevin Lagasse, senior vice president of nuclearservices for GEH. “Our newly approved methodology is important to both trends by enabling a moreaccurate evaluation of a steam dryer’s capabilities, further enhancing the NRC’s confidence in anapplicant’s project.“

In the case of a proposed uprate, based on analysis results, a modified or new steam dryer may berequired to achieve uprate conditions. GEH’s skilled teams at its operations in Wilmington, N.C., andCanonsburg, Pa., offer industry leading expertise in the design, manufacture, implementation andinstrumentation of modified and new BWR steam dryers.

Entergy Nuclear is the first U.S. utility to utilize the entire breadth of GEH’s steam dryer methodology,including the plant based load evaluation (“PBLE”), as part of a proposed extended power uprate of theutility’s existing Grand Gulf BWR station in Port Gibson, Miss. Entergy is the nation’s second largestnuclear plant operator.

In addition to the Grand Gulf application, this methodology has been benchmarked againstinstrumented dryer data from Exelon’s Quad Cities Generating Station Unit 2 reactor in Illinois and theSusquehanna Steam Electric Station’s Unit 1 reactor in Pennsylvania, operated by PPL Susquehanna.Additional projects are underway in Spain, Japan, and the United States.

About GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

Based in Wilmington, N.C., GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a world-leading provider of advancedreactors and nuclear services. Established in June 2007, GEH is a global nuclear alliance created by GEand Hitachi to serve the global nuclear industry. The nuclear alliance executes a single, strategic visionto create a broader portfolio of solutions, expanding its capabilities for new reactor and serviceopportunities. The alliance offers customers around the world the technological leadership required toeffectively enhance reactor performance, power output and safety.

For more information, contact:

Michael Tetuan
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
+1 910 819 7055

michael.tetuan@ge.com

Tom Murnane or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488

tom.murnane@mastopr.com

howard.masto@ge.com