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Enter Unistar Nuclear

By Eric McErlain
Yesterday, we pointed to a press announcement about a promising joint venture in the nuclear business. Now we have more details:
Constellation Energy (NYSE:CEG) and AREVA Inc., today announced the formation of UniStar Nuclear, a joint enterprise that provides the business framework through which the first fleet of advanced nuclear power plants in America in nearly three decades could be developed and deployed.

The UniStar Nuclear model brings together in one complete package, a preeminent nuclear reactor vendor and a deeply experienced nuclear fleet licensee, operator and owner. Specifically, UniStar Nuclear will offer the business framework that could enable the development of joint ventures with Constellation Energy, other energy companies and interested parties. Those joint ventures, in turn, would license, construct, own and operate nuclear power plants as part of a standardized fleet.
My colleague Rich Bickers is on site at the Washington press conference with my iPod, so we may have some audio later. Stay tuned. For more on Unistar, click here.

UPDATE: For the archived video from the press conference click here. Click here (WAV file) for audio from the press conference. Thanks to Rich Bickers for the audio assist.

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Comments

Matthew66 said…
I just watched the press conference. It was very interesting. Given what Wayne Leonard of Entergy said in his NYT interview, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see Entergy, Duke, TVA or some of the other operators announce similar type arrangements with Westinghouse and General Electric, whose Gen III+ plants are well down the road to certification. Great news for air quality in the Northeast. Bechtel will probably end up with the lion's share of the construction regardless of vendor or licensee.
September 15, 2005 at 3:50 PM
Ian Hore-Lacy said…
NEI Overview says that Unistar has a COL trajectory apparently similar to NuStart's. Will this involve application for DOE funding like the other three COLs?
September 19, 2005 at 10:32 AM
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