UNISTAR NUCLEAR A JOINT VENTURE OF CONSTELLATION ENERGY AND FRENCH COMPANY AREVA SA THAT INTENDS TO MARKET NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES SAID TUESDAY THAT AN AMERICAN FIRM WILL MANUFACTURE AT LEAST 80 PERCENT OF THE NUCLEAR COMPONENTS MOSTLY AT AN INDIANA PLANT AP REPORTED0 AREVA NP INC0 AND BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC0 A SUBSIDIARY OF MCDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL INC0 SIGNED AN AGREEMENT DESIGNED TO RE-ESTABLISH COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT COMPONENT MANUFACTURING IN THE UNITED STATES AND SUPPORT UNISTAR)S NEW LINE OF REACTORS BASED ON AREVA)S EUROPEAN PRESSURIZED REACTOR DESIGN0 THIS PARTNERSHIP SIGNALS THE RENEWAL OF U0S0 MANUFACTURING FOR THE COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY? MICHAEL J0 WALLACE CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF UNISTAR NUCLEAR AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BALTIMORE-BASED CONSTELLATION ENERGY SAID DURING A TUESDAY NEWS CONFERENCE0 NO NUCLEAR POWER PLANT HAS BEEN LICENSED IN THE U0S0 SINCE THE THREE MILE ISLAND ACCIDENT IN 1979 AND UNISTAR WILL COMPETE WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC CO0 WESTINGHOUSE ? NOW OWNED BY TOSHIBA CORP0 ? AND OTHERS TO DEVELOP THE FIRST NEW REACTORS IN THE U0S0 SINCE THE ACCIDENT0 NUCLEAR ENERGY PROPONENTS SAY IT IS SAFER CHEAPER AND CLEANER THAN PLANTS POWERED BY NATURAL GAS OR COAL0 CRITICS CONTEND THE NEW NUCLEAR REACTORS BEING DESIGNED MAY LOOK GREAT ON PAPER BUT HAVE YET TO BE BUILT AND TESTED0 UNISTAR HAS YET TO RECEIVE A U0S0 ORDER FOR A NUCLEAR REACTORS0 BUT AREVA ON MONDAY ANNOUNCED THAT PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO0 ORDERED TWO REPLACEMENT REACTOR VESSEL HEADS FOR THE DIABLO CANYON POWER PLANT IN AVILA BEACH CALIFORNIA0 AREVA HAS PROVIDED SERVICES AT THE DIABLO CANYON SITE SINCE 1996 AND THE NEW ORDER WILL BE THE FIRST ONE THAT BWX TECHNOLOGY FULFILLS FOR UNISTAR0
