B&W and Bechtel: Alliance to commercialize small, modular nuclear plant

Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy, Inc., (B&W NE; Lynchburg, Va.) and Bechtel Power Corp. (San Francisco, Calif.: www.bechtel.com)have entered into a formal alliance to design, license and deploy the world’s first commercially viable Generation III++ small modular nuclear power plant. Based on B&W mPower small modular reactor (SMR) technology. This new alliance, to be known as Generation mPower, brings together two recognized and established energy industry leaders in engineering, manufacturing and construction. Both Bechtel and B&W are making a substantial commitment in forming Generation mPower. B&W NE is a subsidiary of The Babcock & Wilcox Co. (www.babcock.com). As a more practical clean energy option for power generation, the 125 MW B&W mPower SMR development program underway for the past two years has already gained wide recognition for its substantial electric utility involvement, cost competitiveness and innovative design. ‘This alliance is about two companies maintaining America’s historic leadership in the nuclear energy industry,” says Chris Mowry, president of B&W NE. “The formation of our Generation mPower alliance demonstrates a new level of commitment by American…