Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Monday it has begun procedures with the aim of winning Washington's design certification for its new advanced pressurized water reactor by the end of 2011 to market it in the United States.
To handle relevant work with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the company established a wholly owned subsidiary, MHI Nuclear Energy Systems Inc., in Washington D.C., which went into operation this month, Mitsubishi Heavy added.
The new reactor, the US-APWR, is based on the 1,538-megawatt APWR model slated to be installed at two Japan Atomic Power Co. plants in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture. It has been modified to better suit U.S. user needs. The 1,700-mw-class reactor boasts 39 percent thermal efficiency and requires a 20 percent smaller facility to house it as compared with conventional units.
Besides handling the work to obtain design certification, the new Washington unit will promote sales and supply large replacement components for existing nuclear plants.