Executive changes at Westinghouse

Westinghouse Electric Company has announced changes to its executive leadership, with José Emetrio Gutiérrez becoming acting president and CEO as Danny Roderick becomes president of Toshiba Corporation's Energy Systems and Solutions Company. Westinghouse is a group company of the Toshiba Corporation.

Roderick - who joined Westinghouse as president and CEO from GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy in 2012 - will retain his role as chairman of Westinghouse's board.

Toshiba eyes 45 reactors by 2031

Toshiba Corporation CEO Satoshi Tsunakawa said that the company's target of building 45 new reactors globally by fiscal 2031 is achievable, Reuters reported. Tsunakawa, who took over as CEO yesterday, said a fight against global warming and growing energy use in emerging economies was bolstering demand for nuclear power, and would help Toshiba meet the target set by his predecessor Masashi Muromachi. The target is based on an assumption that at least 300 new nuclear power reactors will be needed by 2030, and that Toshiba could win 15% of the contracts to build them.

Gutiérrez has been Westinghouse's senior vice president, Nuclear Fuel and Components Manufacturing, since 2012. In that role, he led the company's nuclear fuel fabrication, components and services business and was responsible for Westinghouse's global nuclear supply chain organization. David Precht has been appointed to Gutiérrez's former role, also on an interim basis. Westinghouse said they will hold their respective positions "until a permanent successor is named".

Toshiba Energy Systems and Solutions Company, headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan, is one of Toshiba's four in-house companies responsible for power systems activities including nuclear energy, thermal and hydro power, transmission and distribution services and new energy solutions. It was established earlier this year to help establish a more focused business structure. Westinghouse, in which Toshiba owns an 87% stake, is part of Toshiba's Nuclear Energy Systems and Services Division.

Westinghouse's nuclear power plant products and services include nuclear plant designs, fuel, maintenance services, and instrumentation and control systems. Eight Westinghouse AP1000 pressurized water reactors are currently under construction in China and the USA.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News