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Nuclear power plant loses 19 more jobs
By ALEX LEARY, Times Staff Writer CRYSTAL RIVER -- Florida Power eliminated 19 jobs from its nuclear plant on Thursday, continuing a downsizing effort that began last winter under the company's new owner. Five additional workers were given the option of other jobs in the company or taking the same severance package offered to workers who received pink slips. The severance deals were said to be similar to those offered last year. Those included seven weeks of pay, two weeks of pay for every year in service and unused vacation and holidays. "Staffing reductions announced today are in line with plans that have been discussed with site employees for the past few years," vice president Dale Young wrote in a statement. "These reductions bring us closer to the staffing levels found at other top-performing plants in the industry." He said attrition helped reduce the number of employees affected by layoffs. In a note to employees, Young said additional cuts were necessary, though there would be no significant changes this year. The cuts come almost one year after Florida Power cut 60 jobs from the nuclear plant. All told, there are about 225 fewer employees at the plant today than there were in summer 1998, when there were about 811 workers. Spokesman Mac Harris said the staff had been beefed up to deal with a regulatory shutdown from late 1996 to early 1998. After problems were fixed, some of the additional help was not needed, he said. But some of the recent cuts -- there were also several dozen jobs cut from the coal-burning operation in February -- are tied to the acquisition of Florida Power's former parent company, Florida Progress Corp., by Carolina Power & Light in 1999. When the $5.3-billion takeover was announced, the Raleigh-based utility said it would cut $100-million, largely by eliminating duplicate jobs. Thursday's cuts affect only Florida Power's operation in Crystal River, Harris said. -- Staff writer Alex Leary can be reached at (352) 564-3623 or leary@sptimes.com.
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