PITTSBURGH, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company today announced that it is splitting its Nuclear Power Plants product line into two distinct organizations of Nuclear Power Plant Project Delivery and Nuclear Power Plant Business Development to further strengthen the company and better position it for future growth.

In announcing the two organizations, Jim Ferland, who will assume his new role as Westinghouse president and CEO effective April 1, said: "These changes will enhance our ability to meet the unique needs of our existing new plant customers and to focus on new approaches in developing new plant opportunities globally.  While both organizations have distinct roles, they will be closely aligned to ensure the overall success of the AP1000^® program."

The newly-created Nuclear Power Plant Project Delivery organization, which will focus exclusively on the delivery of new plant projects to Westinghouse customers, will be led by Senior Vice President Deva Chari.  In this role, Mr. Chari will be responsible for interfacing with Westinghouse customers on a day-to-day basis and ensuring that key project milestones are met safely on schedule, and in a high-quality and cost-effective manner.

Currently, Westinghouse is building four new AP1000 plants in China, with the first expected to come online in 2013.  In the U.S., four plants are being built in Georgia and South Carolina, with the first unit expected to come online in 2016.  These eight AP1000 plants represent the foundation for the next generation of nuclear plants employing passive safety systems that rely only on natural forces to safely shutdown and remain cool.  

In leading efforts to successfully deploy these new AP1000 plants in China and the U.S., Mr. Chari brings a solid foundation of experience from his most recent role as senior vice president of Nuclear Power Plants.

Sandy Rupprecht has been appointed to lead the newly formed Nuclear Power Plant Business Development organization as senior vice president. Mr. Rupprecht will be responsible for the overall development of new approaches to manage and capture new plant opportunities worldwide. Mr. Rupprecht, who most recently served as vice president of Westinghouse AP1000 Delivery Systems, also will ensure coordinated and integrated global new plant offerings and oversee new plant business development efforts that had been organized within the Westinghouse regions of Americas, Asia, and Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Chari and Mr. Rupprecht will continue to be located at the Westinghouse Cranberry Township, Pa., USA, headquarters facility and both will report to new Westinghouse President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Ferland.

Westinghouse Electric Company, a group company of Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502), is the world's pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company