On Thursday, Areva announced it will provide services that include engineering, construction, component replacement and fuel design to the Tennessee Valley Authority as it completes Bellefonte unit 1 in Alabama.
The Babcock and Wilcox pressurized water reactor, mothballed 90 percent complete 23 years ago and later partially stripped for parts, was given new life when the TVA board voted last month to complete the unit. The work is expected to cost between $4.5 billion and $5 billion and is scheduled for completion in 2020. Among the upgrades at the plant, Areva will completely replace the control room using its Teleperm XS digital instrumentation and control system. It will also build a matching plant simulator.
“Areva is honored to support TVA as it completes its Bellefonte 1 nuclear plant incorporating advanced safety features,” Areva CEO Luc Oursel said in a release. “Areva has a longstanding relationship with TVA and looks forward to continuing success with this project to help safely provide clean and low-cost power for TVA’s customers.”
The company recently opened an office in nearby Chattanooga, Tenn. Cannaberra Industries, an Areva subsidiary, also announced it will double the number of employees at its Oak Ridge, Tenn., facility.