Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Pursue Talks to Merge Nuclear Units via Latin American Herald Tribune

OKYO – Japan’s Toshiba, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are in final stages of talks to integrate their nuclear fuel units.

The companies are aiming to merge the units to sustain them at a time when most Japanese reactors are offline as a fallout of the Fukushima disaster, reported economic daily Nikkei Thursday.

The three Japanese conglomerates are looking to merge their nuclear units as early as the spring of 2017 and the move is expected to cut costs in fuel rod manufacturing and other operations, added the report.

While none of the three companies confirmed the news Thursday, they have acknowledged they are considering several options for their nuclear fuel businesses, including a joint holding company.

Currently, only three reactors, of the 43 in working condition in the archipelago, are active, following the nuclear shutdown triggered by the 2011 Fukushima plant accident, and the subsequent tightening of safety norms.

The situation has made nuclear units unsustainable for these companies, which have helped build the reactors and supply fuel to Japanese power companies for years.

Meanwhile, the three companies are also trying to acquire majority control in other firms in the sector.

Mitsubishi Heavy bought back shares of Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel from partners such as the France-based Areva, raising its stake in the company from 35 to 95 percent, said the daily.

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