US Exelon Generation and Japan Atomic Power Company are to establish a 50:50 joint venture company, JExel Nuclear, which will provide advisory, operating and maintenance management services to nuclear plant developers and operators using Japanese reactor technologies. Their first client is Horizon Nuclear Power, the Hitachi-owned company developing two Hitachi-GE UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) units at the Wylfa Newydd site in Wales in the UK. Exelon operates 23 reactors at 14 nuclear stations in the US. JAPC owns the Tokai and Tsuruga nuclear stations in Japan.
The aim, Exelon announced, would be to license and deploy the company's Nuclear Management Model (ENMM) in “major nuclear power projects around the world.” The first four JExel directors will be JAPC Managing Director Takahiko Hida, JAPC General Manager Toshihiro Komeno, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Exelon Generation Mike Pacilio and Vice President of Exelon Generation and COO of Exelon Nuclear Partners Ralph Hunter. Takahiko Hida will serve as JExel's CEO, the companies announced. Nikkei reported that JExel Nuclear will be headquartered in Japan and be capitalised at JPY10m ($91,500).
Horizon, JAPC and Hitachi signed a technical services contract in July 2016 for the proposed Wylfa Newydd plant. According to that contract, JAPC is to support Horizon in areas including construction costing, licensing, and planning for commissioning. Then, in February, Horizon announced it was joining forces with Exelon Generation as Horizon develops its "expertise and capability" to operate a new NPP at Wylfa Newydd.
Since announcing their partnership in February, Exelon has embedded a team of four specialists at Horizon. "Working alongside Horizon's own growing team, they are providing expertise in engineering, maintenance, operations and training, as Horizon develops its own nuclear operating model," Horizon said.
Its partnership with JAPC draws on the Japanese company's experience and know-how gained from many years of involvement with boiling water reactors, covering design, construction, operation and maintenance, Horizon said.
The technical services contract states that JAPC will have an advisory role as Horizon develops its own operating model.
In January, Horizon said it had been awarded a licensee certificate by Bureau Veritas for the procurement of equipment required for the Wylfa Newydd plant. The certificate is verification that organisations yet to be granted a nuclear site licence have suitable management systems, quality arrangements and supply chain practices in place before the purchase of any nuclear safety related equipment or services.
