In what could turn out to be a major boost to the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) — arguably the safest and most versatile of the nuclear reactors in operation presently — U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company, a group company of Toshiba Corporation, has bought the South African firm IST Nuclear. IST Nuclear is a leading provider of services and systems for South Africa’s unique Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project.

Westinghouse, who opened its newly-acquired South African operation on Nov. 5, “has long been a proponent of the PBMR, and this acquisition will allow us to become even more involved as PBMR moves toward commercialisation,” Nick Liparulo, Vice-President of engineering services for Westinghouse, said in a statement. At this point in time, however, Westinghouse is in the bidding for building 2-AP1000 pressurized water reactors in South Africa.

IST Nuclear was instrumental in the early development of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, working with South Africa’s state-owned power supplier Eskom and US-based investors including Westinghouse. More recently, IST Nuclear supplied a helium test facility for the PBMR. The company is also under contract to design key systems for a PBMR demonstration unit to be built at Koeberg, South Africa’s only nuclear plant, by 2011.

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