Six European utilities back AP1000 reactor for UK

LONDON (Reuters) - Six of Europe's largest utilities are pushing for Westinghouse's (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) AP1000 reactor to be used to build the next generation of nuclear power plants in Britain, Westinghouse said on Friday.

Germany's E.ON EONG.DE and RWE (RWEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), Electrabel-SUEZ (LYOE.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), Spanish power companies Endesa (ELE.MC: Quote, Profile, Research) and Iberdrola (IBE.MC: Quote, Profile, Research), and Sweden's Vattenfall VATN.UL have all agreed to share the cost of getting the reactor design through the UK's Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process.

The government wants new nuclear plants to replace the existing fleet of atomic reactors, most of which will be closed over the next decade.

The AP1000 is one of three designs being considered by British nuclear regulators and the financial support shows the companies are serious about building nuclear plants in Britain.

"I am delighted that so many potential customers in the UK are working closely with us," Westinghouse executive Dan Lipman said in a statement.

Westinghouse is part of Japan's Toshiba and four of its AP1000 reactors are already being built in China.

Other designs have been submitted for UK approval by French nuclear giants EDF (EDF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and Areva (CEPFi.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and a consortium of U.S.-based General Electric (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Japan's Hitachi (6501.T: Quote, Profile, Research).

Last week EDF made a takeover bid for British Energy (BGY.L: Quote, Profile, Research), which runs most of the country's existing nuclear plants and much of the land which is likely to be used to build new ones nearby.

British Energy said on Friday it had received bids from several parties for a full offer for the company, including the government's 35 percent stake.