New joint-venture
company chosen by EDF Energy to support construction of nuclear power plants.
– Edited By Tom Lamar –
Lloyd’s Register Apave Ltd, a new joint-venture company
created by Lloyd's Register EMEA and Apave Sud-Europe, has been appointed by
EDF Energy as their independent third-party inspection agency.
The deal represents
one of the largest single contracts in the 250-year history of the Lloyd's
Register Group.
"This is a very important contract for us in that it
helps us to fulfil our public-benefit mandate and reinforces our position in
the British nuclear industry at a time when society's historic commitment to
carbon-based fuels has come under increased scrutiny," said Richard
Sadler, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyd's Register Group.
"The new joint-venture company, Lloyd's Register Apave,
combines the skills and strong commitments to safety of two entities with
unrivalled experience in Europe's nuclear industry, creating a truly
independent assurance firm we believe will be in high demand in the global
marketplace," he said.
Sadler said the
global reach of the Lloyd's Register Group combined with Apave's knowledge of
French civil nuclear infrastructure gave the new joint-venture company the
unique ability to provide EDF Energy with a worldwide supply-chain assurance.
EDF Energy plans to build two 1,650-megawatt EPR (European
pressurised water reactors) nuclear power plants at Hinkley Point, near
Bridgwater, Somerset, in the UK. Two further units are planned for Sizewell,
Suffolk.
“This project is all about getting things right first time,
every time. Without a solid foundation in safety and quality no project will be
successful," said Alan
Cumming Procurement Director for EDF Energy Nuclear New
Build said. "We are delighted to be working with Lloyd’s Register Apave,
as the type of independent-inspection services they will provide will greatly
assist the management of the project. Such third-party verification will help
us to be sure that the project is delivered with the sort of “relentless
predictability” that both we, as a prospective licensee, demand, and that the
regulators expect.”
EDF Energy is required by the UK licensing agreement to
appoint a third-party inspection agency to conduct, at a minimum, conformity
assessments for the design, manufacture, examination, testing and final
verification of the pressure equipment for main primary system (MPS), the MPS
assembly, the main secondary system (MSS), MSS assembly and the preparation,
signing and issue of the associated certificates for each item of
equipment.