2 Aug (NucNet): Nuclear energy enterprise UniStar Nuclear has announced that an agreement has been signed to manufacture commercial nuclear power plant components in the US to support any future fleet of new nuclear reactor units.
UniStar, a joint enterprise between Constellation Energy and France-based Areva, said the agreement had been signed between Areva NP (formerly Framatome ANP) and BWX Technologies (BWXT), a manufacturer of nuclear components based in the state of Virginia. Areva NP designs and constructs nuclear power plants, as well as supplying fuel, maintenance and modernisation services.
The agreement is a major link in the UniStar supply chain, said a statement. It will result in the ability to manufacture components for UniStar’s fleet of US Evolutionary Power Reactor (US EPR) advanced nuclear power plants, as well as commercial nuclear plant replacement components for operating US plants.
UniStar Nuclear co-chief executive officer Michael Wallace, who is also executive vice-president of Constellation Energy, said according to the US Nuclear Energy Institute, there is potential for up to 18 licence applications for new reactors in the US by 2009. Mr Wallace said that with so much activity, global supply of forgings and major components for new plants may well become an issue.
UniStar’s statement pointed towards “a new era of nuclear power in America” and said to meet the challenges it was necessary to establish the domestic manufacturing infrastructure to support anticipated demand.
BWXT’s nuclear operations division facility in Indiana will manufacture the components under the agreement as a subcontractor to Areva. The facility manufactures non-commercial nuclear components for the US government, but could begin manufacturing commercial nuclear components this year.
BWXT designs and fabricates ASME Code pressure vessels and has been a supplier of heavy fabrications to the nuclear industry since its inception.
UniStar, based in Annapolis in the state of Maryland, was formed in September 2005 to market the 1,600-megawatt US EPR. The US EPR is based on the European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR), one of which is already under construction in Olkiluoto, Finland.
In June 2006, Constellation Energy and Electricite de France (EDF) signed a memorandum of understanding that may result in them working together on the development of the US EPR.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
New Enterprise Formed To Market ‘US EPR’ For America (News No. 149, 15 September 2005)
Constellation Confirms Plans For Nuclear Plant Licence Application (World Nuclear Review No. 145, 28 October 2005)
Constellation And EDF Sign Agreement On EPR Development (World Nuclear Review No. 22, 2 June 2006)
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