Edison chief to U.S.S.R. for nuclear parley

Commonwealth Edison Chairman James J. O'Connor will travel inMay to the Soviet Union, the site of the world's worst nucleardisaster, to meet with operators of commercial nuclear plants from 29countries.

The plant operators are forming the group, the first of itskind, to set common standards for safe procedures and exchangetechnology, O'Connor said. The group, which is calling itself theWorld Association of Nuclear Operators, will include many Soviet bloccountries, including Cuba, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

"This is a great step forward," O'Connor said Wednesday, afterEdison's annual meeting. "In this industry, we're all held hostage tothe worst performer …