The US-based firm EnergySolutions Inc, has announced its plans to sell its European business, EnergySolutions EU Ltd.
EnergySolutions EU – a UK limited company – has a contract to be the Parent Body Organisation for the Magnox Site Licence Company until mid-2014. The PBO from that date will be decided by a competition, which is being launched this week, the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Agency said.
EnergySolutions’ new CEO and president David Lockwood said: “We were approached by third parties to purchase the ESEU business, which holds the Magnox contract with the NDA, and are considering a number of proposals and transaction structures. We are evaluating these alternatives in the best interests of our shareholders, customers and employees.”
The company won a contract to manage and operate 22 of the UK’s Magnox reactors in June 2007, and a few years ago combined the two operating businesses (Magnox North and Magnox South) into a single business.
Since then, the number of operating reactors has dwindled to two reactors at one station: Wylfa A1. Oldbury 1 closed at the end of February as planned, and Wylfa A2 closed in April partly to conserve Magnox fuel, which is no longer manufactured. Wylfa is also due to be shut down in a few years’ time.
The NDA has raised no objections in principle to the sale and is proceeding with its competition process as planned.
