Six European utilities back AP1000 reactor for UK

LONDON, May 16 (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: Quote, Profile, Research) and RWE (RWEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), Electrabel-SUEZ (LYOE.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), Spain's Endesa (ELE.MC: Quote, Profile, Research) and Iberdrola (IBE.MC: Quote, Profile, Research), and Sweden's Vattenfall VTTG.DE have all agreed to share the cost of getting the reactor design through the UK's Generic Design Assessment process.

The reactor is one of three designs being considered by nuclear regulators in Britain and the financial support is an indication of which companies are interested in building nuclear plants in Britain.

(Reporting by Daniel Fineren)