GPU <GPU> DECLARES FIRST DIVIDEND SINCE 1979 General Public Utilities Corp said its board declared a dividend of 15 cts per share on common stock, its first dividend since it omitted payment in February 1980 as a result of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979. The company said it was able to declare the dividend due to progress in the cleanup of Three Mile Island Unit Two. A company spokesman said GPU expects to continue declaring dividends on a quarterly basis, with the rate depending on the progress of the cleanup and on other company operations. GPU said the dividend is of "modest size," representing less than a third of the amount paid as a dividend by the average electric utility. "As the operating companies need to return to the capital markets for debt and preferred stock, this should tend to produce lower cost and better terms," the company said. The dividend is payable May 29 to holders of record April 24.