5 Sep (NucNet): Westinghouse Electric Company yesterday signed “pioneering agreements” with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Doosan Babcock to collaborate on work associated with bringing the AP1000 nuclear power plant to the UK.
The company said the agreements are part of its strategy to “buy where we build” and are key milestones in the process which could lead to between 70 and 80 percent of the work and services required to construct the AP1000 being provided by the UK supply chain, securing valuable jobs in the UK.
The three separate memoranda of understanding (MoU) put in place arrangements for Westinghouse to work on an individual basis with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Doosan Babcock. Areas of work in the three MoU are different but cover areas such as:
• Design, production, fabrication and integration of modules;
• Development of a supply base in the UK;
• Onsite erection and assembly of components;
• Support for commissioning;
• Nuclear component manufacturing;
• Safety and technical support.
Westinghouse, which was acquired by the Toshiba Corporation in 2006, said it has “a unique approach and demonstrated track record” in localising the supply chain for new nuclear build. This approach is being implemented in China, where work is under way on the first two of a series of four AP1000 plants ordered there.
China will build four AP1000s – two at the Sanmen nuclear plant in Zhejiang province on China’s east coast and two at the Haiyang nuclear plant in Shandong province, also on the east coast. Construction began at Sanmen in February 2008.
Westinghouse has also signed two contracts to build four AP1000 nuclear power plants in the US. The AP1000 has been identified as the new plant technology of choice for 10 additional nuclear plants that could be built in the US.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
US And China To Cooperate On AP1000 (News No. 129, 24 May 2007)
Westinghouse Signs Contracts For New China Units (News No. 174, 24 July 2007)
