Westinghouse Opens European Pump and Motor Maintenance and Repair Center in Belgium

NIVELLES, Belgium, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company, the world’s pioneering nuclear company, today inaugurated its European Pump and Motor Maintenance and Repair Center here to provide tailor-made solutions for its nuclear energy customers in Europe.

Many dignitaries, including Didier Reynders, Belgian deputy prime minister and minister of Finance, Marie-Jose Lalloy, governor of the province, Pierre Huart, town mayor, and other regional and local authorities joined Westinghouse Nivelles managers and media representatives at the event.

Sylvestre Vire, Westinghouse regional vice president,  Belgium, stated at the opening ceremony that: “With this major investment, Westinghouse reaffirms its commitment to pursue its development in Nivelles for  better support to its customers to provide clean, safe and reliable energy in Europe.”

Centrally located within Europe and with more than 2,000 square meters of manufacturing space, the new workshop is specifically designed to be a state-of-the-art facility to perform work on multiple pumps and motors in parallel. It has easy truck access, a large-capacity crane (63T), and is equipped with a large vertical lathe, a large horizontal lathe, and a dynamic balancing machine capable of handling the largest pump and motor components. This investment of more than 6 million euros will contribute to the creation of up to 20 new jobs in Nivelles.

The center takes Westinghouse hot maintenance capabilities for pump and motor refurbishment on the European nuclear market to an entirely new level.  With an annual repair and refurbishment capacity of more than 20 large motors and 10 pumps per year, this high-tech facility teeming with innovative services offers unique solutions to Westinghouse customers throughout Europe.

The workshop will start its activities with the execution of a contract signed with EDF to maintain the pumps and motors of the primary circuit of their nuclear power plants in France.

Westinghouse offers the engineering expertise and experience to increase the reliability of each customer’s RCPs and motors. The company has design knowledge and field engineering experience to evaluate anomalies and inspection results, and to implement applicable upgrades designed for increased reliability. Westinghouse can integrate all aspects of RCP and motor services, including field services, hot shop capabilities and spare parts.

“Our growth here in Nivelles is reflective of both the scope of the global nuclear renaissance and our ongoing commitment to create success for our customers. We see an exciting and long-term future for our industry, our company and for this new maintenance and repair center," said Nick Liparulo, senior vice president, Westinghouse Nuclear Services.  

David Howell, vice president, Westinghouse Field Services, added, “With pump and motor facilities in Nivelles and in Madison, Pennsylvania, (USA) Westinghouse has the capability to offer customers unparalleled service, drawing on 25 years of experience in rotating equipment services.”

Westinghouse is growing its pump and motor organization in Europe and continues to have immediate access to the knowledge and experience existing in its U.S. engineering and shop operations. Whether refurbishing a pump or motor, designing technical upgrades, or resolving operational issues, Westinghouse provides the complete pump and motor solution.

Westinghouse will pursue its growth with further investments in the Nivelles Service Center such as additional expansion of the current maintenance and storage facility due to be completed by 2011.

Westinghouse Electric Company, a group company of Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502), is the world's pioneering nuclear power company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial PWR in 1957 in Shippingport, Pennsylvania (USA). Today, Westinghouse PWR technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including every operating nuclear power plant in France.

SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company