State backed nuclear firms interested in buying stricken project

Chinese investors are eyeing a stake in Horizon Nuclear Power.

According to press reports, the Chinese State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation is interested in bidding for the project in a tie up with Toshiba, which owns reactor designer Westinghouse.

If such a bid were successful it would be a blow for contractor Balfour Beatty, which is in partnership with rival reactor designer Areva in its bid to build the first of Horizon’s nuclear plants at Wylfa in Anglesey.

But it could prove fruitful for contractor Laing O’Rourke, which has been bidding to build the reactor with Westinghouse.

Horizon Nuclear Power was put up for sale last month as German energy firms E.On and RWE Npower pulled out of the UK nuclear market.

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