Bechtel has signed a memorandum of understanding with two subsidiaries of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba to work on Poland’s first nuclear power station.
The agreement clears the way for the US engineer to work with America Energy Systems and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions on the plant’s power train.
Bechtel is backing a bid by Westinghouse Electric Company to supply Poland’s first nuclear plants. Other bids are being made by France’s EDF and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power, both of which are angling to develop six power stations for a cost of about $40bn, with the first in service by 2033 (see further reading).
The two companies are preparing a front-end engineering design for a plant on Poland’s Baltic coast that would be powered by three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors.
The deal is the latest in a series of agreements in principle signed by Bechtel. In April, it concluded memorandums of understanding with 12 Polish companies for the development of two nuclear power plants. The companies provide services ranging from earthwork and infrastructure construction to concrete, tunnelling, electrical installations and heavy cranes.
Toshiba will bring a long history of nuclear work to this coalition. Ahmet Tokpinar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear Power business, commented in a press statement: “Any new nuclear plant requires expertise from proven companies with the required certifications. Toshiba has supplied steam turbines, generators and services to power plants of all types for nearly 100 years.”
Yuki Arima, business unit manager at Toshiba’s Power Systems Division, added: “As demand for low-carbon and stable energy sources increases, Toshiba has been working closely with our clients and partners to successfully deliver safe and reliable nuclear power solutions that make a positive impact across the world.”
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