Toshiba launches US nuclear company
06 March 2008
Toshiba of Japan has established a new company in the USA to promote and enhance its nuclear power businesses as it works towards its goal of global nuclear operations.
Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corp was established in January and has just begun operations, the company has announced. Its primary mission is the marketing and promotion of Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWRs) and providing support for related services, with future plans to provide licensing and engineering support for the construction of new nuclear power plants including plant design and procurement.
Toshiba, together with US reactor builder and nuclear company Westinghouse which is 77% Toshiba owned, is working hard to win orders from US companies both for the ABWR and Westinghouse's advanced pressurized water reactor, the AP1000. US utilities have already filed applications for combined construction and operating licences for two ABWR units and six AP1000s, and with over 30 units planned in coming years, Toshiba says the new US base will reinforce its existing activities. It also sees the new company as a vehicle for Toshiba and Westinghouse to share know-how and expertise in areas such as plant operation and maintenance technologies, construction management expertise, and providing support for BWR and PWR systems.
The new company will also be responsible for the licensing for Toshiba's 4S small reactor. The 4S - standing for Super-Safe, Small & Simple - reactor is a sodium-cooled design producing up to 50 MWe of power. Toshiba has already held pre-application meetings with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and expects to formally submit the application for design approval in 2009.
Toshiba America Nuclear Energy is based in Alexandria, Virginia and will initially employ about 30 staff, a number the company anticipates will grow as new US nuclear construction gathers pace.