Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hitachi Reaffirms New Nuclear Build in UK After Horizon Purchase

Hitachi Reaffirms New Nuclear Build in UK After Horizon Purchase

Hitachi formally announced it will buy Horizon Nuclear Power from RWE and EON, committing the Japanese company to build as many as six new Advanced Boiling Water Reactors in the UK.

The German utilities that formed Horizon sought a buyer for the joint venture after Germany decided to abandon nuclear power in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi accidents. The deal was reported to be worth $1.1 billion and brings a new degree of certainty to reactor projects proposed at the Wylfa and Oldbury sites. It is expected to close at the end of November.

In a release Tuesday, Hitachi said it will seek UK regulatory approval of the 1,300 megawatt GE-Hitachi ABWR design and build two to three units at each site. The first unit would come online in the first half of the 2020s, according to the company. At each site Hitachi estimated the projects would create upwards of 6,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent positions.

The company also announced it has signed memoranda of understanding with Babcock International and Rolls-Royce to help build the reactors.http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2012/10/31/hitachi-reaffirms-new-nuclear-build-in-uk-after-horizon-purchase-103101.aspx

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