Consortium to provide nuclear quartet

today announced that the Westinghouse/Shaw Consortium has completed a framework agreement with China's State Nuclear Power Technology Company (SNPTC) to provide four AP1000 nuclear power plants in China.

The framework agreement confirms the basic requirements and obligations of all parties involved and includes early funding for long-lead materials and early engineering.

The agreement follows SNPTC's selection of the Westinghouse/Shaw Consortium as the technology partner for the next generation of nuclear power plants announced in December 2006. Shaw will provide engineering, procurement, commissioning, information management and project management services.

Shaw says the selection was the result of a two-year competitive bidding process. Final contracts for the four plants, to be constructed at sites in Sanmen and Haiyang, are expected to be finalised by June. Construction on the first unit is expected to begin in 2009, with the first plant becoming operational in 2013.