Hitachi Picks Bechtel as Manager of U.K. N-Plant Project

August 23, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's Hitachi Ltd. has appointed major U.S. engineering giant Bechtel Corp. as project management contractor for its project to build a nuclear plant in Britain.

The project management contract was concluded between Horizon Nuclear Power Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, and Bechtel, Hitachi said Wednesday.

Horizon and Bechtel will jointly oversee the project management.

The deal "will get Bechtel involved in the project more proactively and result in a cost cut," a Hitachi official said.

Horizon plans to build two reactors at the planned Wylfa Newydd power station in Wales. Construction work is set to start in 2020.

Under the deal, Bechtel will send some 200 employees to Horizon to jointly select subcontractors and equipment suppliers.

Earlier, Horizon planned to outsource the selection work mainly to Bechtel. Cooperation with Bechtel in the operations will help curb related costs, according to Hitachi. Jiji Press