German rivals plan Welsh reactor by 2020

LONDON, March 30 (Reuters) - RWE (RWEG.DE) and E.ON (EONGn.DE) hope to build their first new nuclear power plant in Britain at Wylfa in Wales by 2020, the German utilities said on Tuesday.

Their Horizon Nuclear Power joint venture plans to apply to build a second nuclear power plant at Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire once construction at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey has begun.

"New nuclear power would make a vital contribution to meeting the country's energy needs and tackling the challenge of climate change," Alan Raymant, Chief Operating Officer at Horizon Nuclear Power said.

"Each development would deliver up to 800 direct permanent jobs and around 5,000 during the construction period."

Horizon said it was in discussions with Westinghouse (6502.T) and France's Areva CEPFi.PA, two firms seeking licences for their new reactors in the UK, and would select one towards the end of 2010 for the plant in Wales.

RWE npower and E.ON UK plan 3,300 megawatt plants at each site as part of a government-led push to replace Britain's ageing nuclear reactors with bigger, more efficient ones.

(Reporting by Daniel Fineren) ((daniel.fineren@reuters.com; +44 207 542 3083; Reuters Messaging: daniel.fineren.reuters.com@reuters.net))