Japan’s Toshiba Corporation is planning to fully exploit opportunities in the US nuclear power industry through a new marketing and support company.
Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corporation will primarily be set the task of promoting advanced boiling water (ABWR) nuclear power plants. As the business develops it will also expand operations into licensing and engineering support activities.
The move is in response to a new wave of interest in nuclear power in the USA, where major utilities have announced plans to build over 30 new nuclear power plants. Construction of some of these plants is expected to be well underway by 2011 after the licensing process has been completed.
Toshiba and Westinghouse Electric Company, which is owned by Toshiba, are aiming to win orders for ABWR and AP1000 designs in the US. The new company will reinforce their existing marketing activities.
The new company will also allow Westinghouse and Toshiba to exchange information on their latest advances in operation and maintenance technologies. Toshiba also plans to share with Westinghouse construction management expertise that it has cultivated through nuclear power facility projects in Japan.
