Mitsubishi Heavy prepares for global market

Wednesday, 20 June 2007 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced the creation of a new office to reach the global nuclear marketplace for replacement large components.

MHI's Global Nuclear Business & Operation Department will operate within its Nuclear Energy Systems headquarters from 1 July. Its main role being to function as a strategic sales and marketing unit "that will control overall global export activities of nuclear power plant components."

MHI has supplied large components to many nuclear power plants worldwide. Including new and replacement parts, MHI boasts of supplying 122 steam generators, 27 reactor pressure vessels, 53 reactor vessel heads, 42 steam turbines and 79 reactor coolant pumps. The company "expects continued vigorous demand" in this part of its business, mainly from Europe and the USA.

In addition to parts, the new office would assist in the marketing of MHI-developed nuclear power plants, such as the 1700 MWe US-APWR, a larger and US-specific version of the 1538 MWe Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor, two of which it is contracted to build for Japan Atomic Power Co at Tsuruga.

US utility TXU has chosen US-APWRs as the basis for plans to build two new reactors at the Comanche Peak site in Texas.

MHI is also in collaboration with France's Areva to design a new reactor of around 1100 MWe, suitable for countries with smaller electricity transmission grids, and the new department would work to expand the market for this design.

Further information

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nuclear Energy Systems

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