黑洞社区

A joint venture between Bechtel, Japanese contractor JGC Corporation and Hitachi has been confirmed as the delivery team for the 拢10bn Wylfa Newydd nuclear power plant in Anglesey, Wales.

Called 鈥楳enter Newydd鈥� 鈥� meaning 鈥楴ew Venture鈥� in Welsh 鈥� the JV will work as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor on the project.

The JV鈥檚 project director, Hitachi鈥檚 Malcolm Twist, said the JV will now begin to develop relationships with sub-contractors, and expects most of them to be British.

The announcement comes after the project鈥檚 developer, Horizon Nuclear Power 鈥� which itself is wholly owned by Hitachi 鈥� told 黑洞社区 it will begin the search for a programme management partner to oversee the work of the EPC contractor once it had finalised discussions with Bechtel and JGC.

Now the EPC contractor has been confirmed, Horizon will also look for a project delivery partner to work alongside Bechtel, JGC and Hitachi.

Consultants expected to bid for those roles include Aecom, CH2M and Jacobs - which is working on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset.

Commenting on his firm鈥檚 win, JGC鈥檚 Tsuyoshi Iwasaki, deputy project director for Menter Newydd JV, said JGC was pleased to be working on a project 鈥渨hich will contribute so much to local communities, as well as to the wider UK.鈥�

He added: 鈥淲e bring significant expertise, accumulated through our global experience of EPC delivery, and look forward to helping ensure the safe, on-time, on-cost delivery of Wylfa Newydd.鈥�

Yokohama-based JGC has extensive experience in construction of power plants around the world, specialising in gas power plants.

The 拢4.5bn-turnover contracting giant has been involved in one UK project previously, providing EPC services for Unilever鈥檚 Colworth research lab.

Bechtel鈥檚 Mike Robinson, the JV鈥檚 other deputy project director, promised his firm, as part of the JV, will 鈥渂ring Wylfa Newydd safely into delivery to cost and budget in collaboration with local communities and our partners.鈥�