OREANDA-NEWS. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) confirmed today that it is providing EDF Energy with project management services for the building and civil work on the main construction site, including the marine works, at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project in Somerset, United Kingdom.

The announcement follows the U.K. Government’s confirmation that it has reached a new agreement in principle with EDF. This follows last October’s signing of the strategic investment agreement with its Chinese partner China General Nuclear Corporation (CGN) to build Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear power station in the U.K. for more than 25 years.

Under the investment framework EDF Energy is the owner, operator and licensee for two new reactors planned at Hinkley Point C. The new power generation plant will be capable of generating over 3,200 megawatts of secure, low carbon electricity for 60 years, enough to power around more than five million U.K. homes.

Jacobs Vice President, U.K. Nuclear and Defense Alan Seywright said, “Jacobs welcomes this important announcement; the new power plant is expected to make an important contribution to the U.K.'s requirement for a secure supply of affordable, low carbon electricity. This news is crucial to helping the industry, particularly the local supply chain, to grow the essential nuclear engineering and other specialist skills required for this project. The U.K. capability gained from the construction of Hinkley Point C is going to be very important to later projects in Britain’s prospective energy program.

“Jacobs is building a global center of nuclear expertise here in the U.K. and long term we see potential to leverage this U.K.-developed knowledge and expertise to support nuclear projects internationally.”

The company’s Aerospace & Technology business is currently providing a wide range of services to the EDF Group for projects in the U.K. and Europe. These include project management services to support EDF Energy’s program of maintenance and life extension projects at its U.K. nuclear power station sites and environmental services to support the 2000 megawatt Cottam and West Burton coal-fired stations.

Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of full-spectrum technical, professional and construction services for industrial, commercial and government organizations globally.