Nuclear Power Plant Co
Nuclear Power Plant Company Ltd
1955 Four industrial groups were formed to exploit the information being made available by UKAEA on design of nuclear power "furnaces" - one of these, Nuclear Power Plant Company, involved C. A. Parsons and Co and Head, Wrightson and Co [1].
Jointly C. A. Parsons and Co and A. Reyrolle and Co had the largest shareholding in the Nuclear Power Plant Co Ltd, the first nuclear consortium to be formed in the U.K.[2]; other members were Head, Wrightson and Co and Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons[3].
1956 Awarded an order for one of 3 nuclear power stations (at Bradwell) by the Central Electricity Authority[4].
1958 The 8 members of the consortium building Bradwell Nuclear Power Station were[5]:
- C. A. Parsons and Co
- A. Reyrolle and Co
- Head, Wrightson and Co
- Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons
- Whessoe
- Strachan and Henshaw
- Alexander Findlay and Co
- Clarke, Chapman and Co
1959 Recognised that the number of orders for nuclear power plants would be constrained because each one had such large generating capacity. For this reason, Parsons decided to make a move towards rationalisation by joining with the AEI-John Thompson consortium, forming the Nuclear Power Group, although this caused some loss of work for the constituent companies[6].
1960 Nuclear Power Group was formed as partnership between Nuclear Power Plant Co Limited and the AEI-John Thompson Nuclear Energy Co Limited.
1962 The large new laboratory that Parsons had set up to serve as the research centre for the Nuclear Power Plant Co was converted into the International Research and Development Co (IRDC).
1968 The Group was constructing 6 out of the 12 nuclear plant ordered in the U.K., and one of two such plant sold abroad[7].