Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that the company has
committed to making an investment exceeding $30 million in NuScale Power
LLC., an Oregon-based small modular reactor (SMR) technology company.
The announcement was made today in Washington D.C. at the National Press
Club by Fluor and NuScale executives with key members of the U.S. House
of Representatives along with industry and regulatory leaders in
attendance.
As part of its investment, Fluor has purchased the company’s shares that
had previously been in U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
receivership and has become NuScale’s majority shareholder. Going
forward, NuScale will continue to operate as an independent company.
Additionally, Fluor and NuScale have entered into a separate contractual
arrangement whereby Fluor will provide certain services to NuScale as
well as have exclusive rights to provide engineering and construction
services for future NuScale SMR facilities.
NuScale Power is an Oregon corporation with more than 70 employees that
is commercializing a small, modular reactor (SMR) technology. The
initial concept for NuScale’s highly innovative, inherently safe SMR
technology was developed from 2000-2003 at Oregon State University with
funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy. With the support of
Fluor, NuScale expects to bring its technology to market in a timely
manner.
"Fluor's history of accomplishment and success in the nuclear industry
combined with NuScale's innovative and safe nuclear technology will
provide our customers with a very competitive option,” said John
Hopkins, Fluor Corporation’s group executive for Corporate Development
and New Ventures. "Today’s new energy marketplace is dynamic and
requires power generation
diversification and technological
innovation for continued success. Our investment is a synergistic fit
for our EPC business and positions us well for future new-build energy
needs. At the same time, we view this investment as an excellent
financial deal with great upside growth potential.”
Fluor has a strong 60-plus-year history in the nuclear new-build
market—having designed, built or provided construction support for 20
units in the United States. Pairing Fluor’s world class engineering,
procurement, construction (EPC) expertise with NuScale’s safe and
economical small modular reactor (SMR) technology, positions both
companies as global leaders in the global new-build nuclear market.
"Fluor’s investment in NuScale coupled with our contractual relationship
enables NuScale to move ahead in a stronger position than ever with the
backing of a major player in the global nuclear energy industry," said
Paul Lorenzini, chief executive officer of NuScale. "Importantly,
Fluor's confidence in NuScale's technology after its extensive due
diligence sends a signal that together, we intend to be the leaders in
bringing small, modular reactors to market."
"This collaboration is vital to utilities that are exploring nuclear
energy as an option to diversify their future generation portfolio,"
said Bill Fehrman, president and CEO, MidAmerican Energy Company, based
in Des Moines, Iowa. "This combined effort between Fluor and NuScale is
another strong signal that small modular reactor technology will be a
viable alternative for the next generation of nuclear energy deployment."
MidAmerican Energy is one of 11 major utilities in the U.S. and Canada
serving on NuScale Power's customer advisory board. The board is
conferring with NuScale on ways the company's technology can best meet
the needs of electric utilities in an increasingly dynamic energy
environment.
About NuScale Power
NuScale Power has designed a nuclear steam supply system and nuclear
power plant that offers the benefits of nuclear power but takes away the
issues presented by installing large capacity. The NuScale design is for
a modular, scalable Light Water Reactor (LWR) nuclear power plant
system. A nuclear power plant using NuScale’s technology is comprised of
individual NSSS modules. Each produces 45 megawatts with its own
combined containment vessel and reactor system, and its own designated
turbine-generator set. A power plant can include as many as 12 NuScale
integral PWR modules to produce as much as 540 megawatts. NuScale power
plants are scalable – additional modules are added as customer demand
for electricity increases and far more cost-effective than traditional
large scale nuclear facilities. These multi-module plants are highly
reliable – one unit can be taken out of service for refueling or
maintenance, or a new unit added, without affecting the operation of the
others.
About Fluor Corporation
Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) designs, builds and maintains many of the
world's most challenging and complex projects. Through its global
network of offices on six continents, the company provides comprehensive
capabilities and world-class expertise in the fields of engineering,
procurement, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance and
project management. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Fluor is a FORTUNE
200 company and had revenue of $20.8 billion in 2010. For more
information, visit www.fluor.com.
