Tokyo, September 10: Westinghouse Electric Co, the US subsidiary of Japan’s Toshiba Corp, said on Thursday that it was close to an agreement to be the long-term operator of a British nuclear fuel manufacturing site.
Westinghouse said it was in “advanced discussions” with Britain’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) about taking on a long-term management lease for the site at Springfields near Preston.
It is also in talks to acquire Springfields Fuels Ltd., which was formed in 2005 as part of Britain’s reorganisation of its nuclear industry and which holds the nuclear licence to operate the site, employing about 1,350 people.
The site has produced most of Britain’s nuclear fuel over the past 50 years.
Westinghouse already operates the site on behalf of the British government but the management contract is due to expire on March 31, 2010.
Toshiba said in a separate statement that the NDA would keep the ownership of the real estate and plant equipment at the site.
“This arrangement would give Westinghouse the opportunity to consider significant investment in the site as we continue to see strong signs of a nuclear renaissance,” Westinghouse president Aris Candris said in a statement.
“It offers longer term security of employment to current employees, as well as the potential for new jobs in the future.”
“If a successful arrangement can be agreed, then the outcome will represent a positive benefit for the NDA, for Westinghouse, for the current and future employees of the site, and for the UK’s nuclear industry as a whole.”
NDA commercial director John Clarke said, “The NDA has enjoyed a successful five-year relationship with Westinghouse. Their long-term understanding of the site together with their experience as a nuclear fuel vendor makes Westinghouse a good partner to exploit the potential of the site.”
–Agencies