| AREVA: 70% of new build business to British companies | | Print | |
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United Kingdom: Seventy percent of new nuclear business could go to UK companies, says AREVA UK companies were today (March 16) invited to bid for up to 70 percent of the nuclear engineering components of new UK power stations by AREVA, the French company which is the world’s leading constructor of nuclear power plants. AREVA’s EPRTM reactor is one of two being evaluated by the regulators for use in the UK. Speaking at a specially arranged conference, ‘Join the UK Nuclear Renaissance, an AREVA UK Suppliers day’, Luc Oursel, President of AREVA NP, said “Although we shall manufacture the main heavy components ourselves, that represents only some 30% of the total nuclear island equipment by value. The available market is some 70% of the total. “Yes we have current suppliers, but we need significantly more if we are to deliver our target of thirty percent of the global new build programme. The UK is in the van, in the first wave of a global new-build renaissance and UK suppliers can use this opportunity to open up global opportunities, to join AREVA and start national, go global”. Speaking at the event, Energy and Climate Change Minister Mike O’Brien said: “AREVA’s plan to open the door to UK companies shows the real business opportunities of building new nuclear power stations in this country. We operate in a global market place and competition will be fierce so it will be up to UK businesses to step up to the plate and show they can deliver. “The Government is also doing its bit by ensuring we have the skills and capacity to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. Our £140 million strategy to support science, technology, engineering and maths in schools is one example of the work we are doing.” More than 120 companies, from John O’Groats to the South of England, attended the meeting, which was over-subscribed. They heard AREVA speakers spell out the standards required and the steps to become accredited suppliers, and had the opportunity of face to face to meetings. M. Oursel said that AREVA estimated the UK new build market to be in the region of 20-25 GW, with the first wave of new builds being dictated by those developing sites early. “The first wave is likely to be some 4-10 EPRTM reactors. This is a significant new build programme. We expect EDF to construct some 4 AREVA EPRTM reactors and we expect to construct up to six more.” Didier David, AREVA NP Procurement Director for New Builds, said, ‘We are delighted with the response to our conference. We shall be arranging further opportunities for suppliers to meet us over coming months. We have set up a dedicated website for potential suppliers to register at http://suppliers.areva.com/UK_supply_chain_EPR “We are asking interested companies to get in touch so we can evaluate them. The criteria that will always prevail in the qualification are based above all on safety requirements fulfilment and also include quality, cost and ability to cope with the schedule of our projects. We hope as many UK companies as possible will seize the opportunity! ”. Comments (0)
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