SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date earliest event reported) December 10, 2001
Commission Registrant, State of Incorporation, I.R.S. Employer
File Number Address and Telephone Number Identification No.
1-11299 ENTERGY CORPORATION 72-1229752
(a Delaware corporation)
639 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113
Telephone (504) 529-5262
1-10764 ENTERGY ARKANSAS, INC. 71-0005900
(an Arkansas corporation)
425 West Capitol Avenue, 40th Floor
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Telephone (501) 377-4000
Form 8-K Page 1
December 10, 2001
Item 5. Other Information
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a bulletin on
August 3, 2001, requesting all pressurized water reactor owners
and operators to report on the structural integrity of their
reactor vessel head penetration nozzles to justify continued
operations past December 31, 2001. These types of reactors are
susceptible to water stress corrosion cracking of the reactor
vessel head nozzles. Units 1 and 2 of the Arkansas Nuclear One
(ANO) plants, owned by Entergy Arkansas, Inc., are pressurized
water reactors. In March 2001, an inspection of ANO Unit No. 1
(ANO 1) revealed one leaking control rod drive mechanism nozzle,
which was subsequently repaired. An inspection at ANO Unit 2
(ANO 2) is scheduled during the next refueling outage (April
2002). Entergy Arkansas, Inc. has received favorable responses
from the NRC for the continued operations of ANO 1 and 2.
Inspections of the ANO 1 steam generators during planned
outages also have revealed cracks in certain steam generator
tubes, which have been repaired or plugged. The current number
of cracks that have been plugged is below the limit authorized by
the NRC to allow the unit to remain in operation and has not
affected ANO 1's output to date. Current projections estimate
that the steam generators have a remaining life through 2011 and
that no mid-cycle outages will be necessary until approximately
2005 for the continued repair or plugging of the cracked tubes,
which, in the interim, will be maintained through planned
outages. ANO 2's steam generator was replaced during a refueling
outage in the second half of 2000 at a replacement cost of
approximately $167 million.
In February 2000, Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy
Operations) applied to the NRC for extension of ANO 1's operating
license, which was scheduled to expire in 2014. In June 2001,
Entergy Operations received notification from the NRC of approval
for a renewed operating license authorizing operations at ANO 1
through May 2034
Entergy Operations is in the process of gathering
information and assessing various options for the permanent
repair or replacement of ANO 1 and 2's reactor vessel heads and
the replacement of ANO 1's steam generators. Certain of these
options could, in the future, require significant capital
expenditureand/or result in additional unscheduled mid-cycle
outages. A decision as to the permanent repair or replacement of
the reactor vessel heads and replacement of the steam generators
is anticipated in 2002. If permanent replacement is selected,
fabrication for a reactor vessel head and steam generators may
take up to 4 years.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Entergy Corporation
Entergy Arkansas, Inc.
By: /s/Nathan E. Langston
Nathan E. Langston
Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer
Dated: December 10, 2001