Reactor head at Davis-Besse to be replaced in October, 2011

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OAK HARBOR, Ohio — A utility will replace the reactor head earlier than scheduled at a northern Ohio nuclear plant shut down for four months of repairs to cracks in the head's nozzles.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission representatives said this week that the reactor head at the Davis-Besse plant near Toledo will be replaced in October 2011 instead of 2014. They say Akron, Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp.'s decision to replace the head early showed "ultra-conservativeness."

The plant was shut down from Feb. 28 through June for repairs to cracks the NRC says were discovered before they could do damage. NRC officials say the current head is safe.

The same plant was shut down from 2002 to 2004 because of an acid leak in a different reactor head.