Frazer-Nash to help Horizon advance UK plans

16 July 2010

Horizon Nuclear Power has awarded engineering consultancy Frazer-Nash a five-year framework contract for the provision of regulatory and licensing services related to its plans for constructing new nuclear power plants in the UK.

 

Wylfa (BNG)
The Wylfa site, where Horizon plans its first new reactor
Horizon - a 50-50 joint venture between RWE nPower and EOn UK - has bought land for the development of new nuclear plants at existing sites at Oldbury, Gloucestershire and Wylfa, on the Isle of Anglesey. Both sites have been identified as suitable for development in the UK government's draft nuclear National Policy Statement, announced in November 2009.

 

Horizon proposes to have its first reactor, at Wylfa, commissioned as early as 2020. A planning application at Wylfa would be scheduled for 2012, and would be followed by a planning application for a second nuclear power plant at Oldbury once construction at Wylfa has started. However, these developments remain subject to "the right market conditions," the company warned in a possible reference to industry-wide calls for more certainty on carbon pricing. Ultimately Horizon wants up to 6600 MWe in nuclear generation capacity across both sites.

 

The framework contract signed with Frazer-Nash will initially focus on supporting Horizon's submissions of site licence applications for the Wylfa and Oldbury sites.

 

Paul Deeran, business manager at Frazer-Nash, said that the company "has significant involvement in the development of the UK's next generation of nuclear power stations, and these contracts complement our ongoing work for the Health and Safety Executive on the Generic Design Assessment, which is considering the options for nuclear reactor design."

 

John Baker, head of regulatory and licensing at Horizon, commented: "Site licensing is a pre-requisite for our ambitions to develop around 6000 MW by 2025 and it is a key priority for our business."

 

Horizon is yet to decide which of the two available reactor designs it would like to build. Both the Areva EPR and Westinghouse AP1000 are engaged in the Generic Design Assessment process, due to certify them for build in June 2011. Both the companies are involved in a competitive bidding process which Horizon said would conclude at the end of the year.

 

Researched and writtenby World Nuclear News