Toshiba to Build Two U.S. Nuclear Plants

TOKYO -- Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday it will construct two nuclear power plants in the U.S.

Toshiba's U.S. subsidiary signed an agreement to build the plants for the South Texas Project -- a nuclear power facility being expanded by NRG Energy (NRG Quote) and CPS Energy, the electricity utility for San Antonio, Texas.

The plants, each to have a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, are scheduled to start operations in 2016, and 2017, Toshiba said in a statement.

They will be the first in the U.S. that are advanced boiling water reactors, the kind of nuclear plants Toshiba has focused on, according to the Tokyo-based manufacturer.

Westinghouse Electric Co., a unit of Toshiba, will also take part in the project, it said.

Interest in nuclear power has been growing because of concerns about global warming and efforts to reduce dependence on oil.