Climate change concerns, rising fuel costs, national security and a host of other factors have increased the attractiveness of expanding today’s energy infrastructure through the generation of nuclear power. To help the nation’s utilities prepare for the possibility of nuclear power project development, R. W. Beck recently entered into a teaming agreement with EXCEL Services Corporation (EXCEL), a provider of technical, safety and regulatory services for nuclear projects. The R. W. Beck/EXCEL team will provide due diligence and risk-mitigation solutions as well as delivering business and financial analyses that help utilities maintain their viability and provide the financial community with the assurances they need to make decisions about investing in nuclear infrastructure.

This agreement comes at a key time as the need for these services appears to be growing. Within the past year, the number of permit applications to develop new nuclear units has increased significantly and the trend is expected to continue through 2009. In fact, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently awarded the first-ever early site permit which begins the process of allowing construction of the first new nuclear power reactor in more than 30 years.

Paul Harmon, Senior Vice President of Global Asset Consulting at R. W. Beck observes: “This collaboration presents a timely opportunity to understand and mitigate the financial, regulatory and technical risks to achieve a cleaner climate without compromising our nation’s power supply.”

The key for utilities is to understand how to proceed once the NRC gives its approval. When compared to coal and natural gas plants, nuclear infrastructure requires a greater focus on regulatory drivers and a substantial capital investment—one that is often more than utilities believe they can afford. There is also a knowledge gap that has been created in the three decades that have passed since building nuclear power plants was more widely accepted. As a result, many utilities, consultants and engineering firms have lost their knowledge and expertise regarding the development of new nuclear power projects. It is clear to see that utilities face significant hurdles in developing nuclear power projects that will require a blend of detailed technical expertise and keen business acumen to overcome.

The R. W. Beck/EXCEL team was developed to do exactly that. Nuclear power development will require tight coordination and interaction with a diverse set of stakeholders that include utilities, financial institutions, government agencies and regulators. The R. W. Beck/EXCEL team will rely on our experience as an independent engineer for infrastructure projects and time-tested abilities advising existing nuclear clients to provide the objectivity necessary to partner with both sides and deliver successful projects.

For more information on this project and other R. W. Beck expertise, please contact:

Keith Platte
Vice President Global Asset Consulting
PH 303.299.5264
email