Specifications of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) modified advanced pressurised water reactor design for the European market, the EU-APWR, were presented to utility representatives at a technical seminar in Belgium, MHI said yesterday.

The EU-APWR is based on the 1,538-megawatt (MW) APWR planned for units 3 and 4 of the Japan Atomic Power Company’s Tsuruga nuclear power plant.

The seminar, held in Brussels on 13 and 14 March, was designed to show the design’s compliance with criteria set out by the European Utility Requirements group for light water reactors. The group has been developing requirements since the early 1990s to help to harmonise conditions for the development and deployment of third generation nuclear power plants built in Europe.

Representatives from 13 of the utilities involved in the requirements group attended the technical seminar and received the results of a preliminary analysis of compliance. MHI said it eventually intends to invite several utilities to undertake a full assessment.

Proposed modifications in the EU-APWR design include what MHI claimed would be the world’s highest level of thermal efficiency (39 percent), a 20 percent reduction in plant building volume, a 24-month fuel cycle and greater economy by increasing the rated capacity to 1,700 MW.

MHI said around 24 new reactor units could be built in Europe by 2030, motivated by the need to combat climate change, rising oil prices and to ensure security of energy supply.

The company said the EU-APWR is well-placed to compete for new reactor orders and said it plans to promote the design to European utilities while compliance assessment continues.

Further details including an artist’s impression of the EU-APWR design are on MHI’s web site (www.mhi.co.jp/en).