Welcome to AtomWatch - world nuclear power news and analysis

This blog is aimed at tracing the world news related to nuclear power development internationally and in particular countries. Being an independent resource, we accept all kinds of opinions, positions and comments, and welcome you to discuss the posts and tell us what you think.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Westinghouse strikes deal to build US nuclear power plants

Westinghouse Electric, a unit of the Japanese Toshiba Corp., said Tuesday it had struck a deal with Georgia Power to build two nuclear power plants in the southern United States, the first such projects in 30 years.

The announcement that two Westinghouse AP1000 power plants would be built at a site near Augusta, Georgia which already had two existing nuclear reactors, came days after the 29th anniversary of a major US nuclear accident at Three Mile Island.

Westinghouse chief executive Steve Tritch described the deal as evidence that the "nuclear renaissance has moved beyond the planning stage" and said it would "ensure that the United States will have the power it will need to support long-term economic growth."

The Shaw Group said the nuclear division of its Power Group and Westinghouse Electric Company had been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by Georgia Power Company to build the reactors at the existing Vogtle Electric Generating Plant site near Augusta, Georgia.

The two reactors will have an electric generating capacity of 1,100 megawatts and are expected to be built by 2016 and 2017 respectively.

(read more)

(Source: AFP)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Nuclear Renaissance starts here, it should have started earlier though, at least 10-15 years.

Alexandra Prokopenko said...

Well noone thinks in advance as usual. 10-15 years ago they were not so much concerned about global warming as now, and nuclear seems to be the only cost-efficient solution.

Anonymous said...

Alex you are missing the point. Cost efficient solutions are more dictated by whoever lobbies them. If the lobby for lets say wind power was stronger maybe nuclear would not find that much support.