Westinghouse Electric Company, Toshiba Corporation and Metrostav are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Czech Technical University in Prague (CVUT), one of the oldest and leading technical universities in the Czech Republic. The multiparty agreement comes in preparation for the potential construction of Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants at Temelin.

The provisions of the agreement cover cooperation with many of the university's faculties (Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Sciences, Physical Engineering and Information Technology) in disciplines that are of particular relevance to the completion of the Temelin project and the AP1000 technology.

As part of this agreement, the Czech Technical University will host a series of lectures/seminars at its campuses on AP1000 reactor technology, involving leading technical and regulatory experts from Westinghouse and its partners.

In addition and more specifically, the agreement will provide a group of Czech Technical University students a unique opportunity to participate in Westinghouse's internationally recognized Summer Internship Program located at its headquarters in Cranberry Township, Pa., USA. Westinghouse and its partners will also utilize the Czech Technical University's expertise in a number of specialized areas of the Temelin project, such as calculations, stress analysis and materials testing.

"The Czech Republic has a long tradition of nuclear power and know-how, and this new agreement brings Westinghouse and our partners together with one of the country's eminent technical higher-education institutions," said Sandy Rupprecht, Westinghouse senior vice president, Nuclear Power Plant Business and Project Development.

"We are pleased to establish a collaborative relationship that we believe will bring significant and lasting benefits to Czech Technical University, as well as to Westinghouse, Toshiba and Metrostav."

"We're very pleased to be a part of this important agreement," said Kiyoshi Okamura, corporate vice president, Toshiba Corporation. "As a global leader in power generation systems, we look forward to participating in fruitful exchanges of information with the Czech Technical University."

Metrostav member of the board of directors and Chief Executing Officer Pavel Pilat said of the announcement, "The agreement with the Czech Technical University will offer all parties an opportunity to share their technical nuclear knowledge and selected construction experience, whilst also applying lessons learned from the ongoing AP1000 projects in China and the U.S. towards the successful completion of Temelin Units 3 and 4."

Vaclav Havlicek, rector of the Czech Technical University in Prague said, "I am very pleased that the Czech Technical University in Prague, as one of the oldest universities of technology in the world and the leading university of technology in the Czech Republic, has been invited by the consortium of Westinghouse, Toshiba and Metrostav to be a consultant on technical issues connected with nuclear power plant construction. I believe that our collaboration will improve the quality and security of Czech nuclear power plants. I am also sure that it will improve the quality of the research and educational activities at the university."