Ten firms in race for £700m nuclear civils packages

Balfour Beatty, Laing O'Rourke, Bouygues and Vinci are in the race to win around £700m of new nuclear civils work on the UK's first £4bn new build nuclear reactor.

Around ten firms are in the running, sources say, with some in joint venture.

Contract Journal understands these to be:

• Balfour Beatty / Vinci
• Bouygues / Laing O'Rourke
• Kier / BAM Nuttall
• Costain / Sir Robert McAlpine
• Carillion
• Skanska
• Morgan Est

French utilities giant EDF Energy confirmed this week it had issued prequalification questionnaires to a number of firms with a view to issuing tenders for two civils packages later this year. The two packages are a £100m preparatory works contract, which will be let this autumn and a civils package, estimated to be around £500m, which will be let by the end of the year.

EDF declined to say how many firms were vying for the deals.

However, Richard Mayson, EDF's external affairs director, told CJ that EDF had chosen "more than a handful" of firms following a call for expressions of interest late last year.

Mayson said the size of the packages and the specialist nature of the work would require "single large global firms or joint venture arrangements". Bidders must also bring either previous nuclear sector experience or experience of nuclear decommissioning projects, as well as excellent civil engineering and safety track records.

Mayson added that EDF will take on the role of architect/engineer, overseeing the nuclear project via its newly created design and construction subsidiary.

EDF has not yet revealed where the first reactor is to be built. But it has indicated Hinckley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk are possible sites for the first of four new nuclear reactors.

EDF will hold a suppliers day on 30 June to discuss its strategy with potential suppliers. Information for these events can be found at EDF Energy.

None of the firms potentially bidding for the work were available for comments as CJ went to press.