E.ON ties up with Areva and Siemens to set up N-power plants in UK

26 April 2008

E.ON, the German owner of British energy supplier Powergen, French nuclear power group Areva and engineering major Siemens will co-operate in the construction of two new-generation nuclear power plants in the UK.
 
The plants would use Areva's pressurised water reactor (EPR) with a capacity of 1,600 megawatts and Siemens will build the conventional parts of the nuclear plant, including the turbines.

E.ON and Areva will also collaborate on further developing the SWR1000 boiling-water reactor in the 1,250MW range.

The new power plants will have an electricity-generating capacity in the intermediate range.

The EPR and SWR reactors are regarded as offering maximum safety for use in nuclear power generation.

Under a long-term service and maintenance partnership with Areva for new and existing nuclear plants, E.ON will also gain access to the latest nuclear and power engineering.

E.ON is planning to reduce power consumption at its non-energy generating business in a bid to shrink its corporate carbon emissions, and save money on operational costs in the process.