UPDATE 1-Duke looks to build a nuclear power plant in Ohio

* Would power 1 million homes, businesses

* Areva seeks to supply the reactor for new Duke plant

* Duke, Areva, UniStar and USEC form Ohio nuclear alliance

(Updates with company comments, details from conference)

By Scott DiSavino

NEW YORK, June 18 (Reuters) - Duke Energy Corp (DUK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is considering the construction of a nuclear power reactor in Ohio that will generate carbon free electricity to meet the region's growing energy needs, said Jim Rogers, Duke chief executive officer, at a conference in Piketon, Ohio, on Thursday.

To develop the project, which could produce thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars for the local communities, Duke joined with French nuclear company Areva SA (CEPFi.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), uranium enrichment company USEC Inc (USU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and nuclear developer UniStar Nuclear Energy.

"We face the indisputable fact that our nation and our world are transitioning to a low-carbon future," Rogers said, "With the creation of this ... project - the partners in this alliance, the state of Ohio and our country, are edging a little further across the bridge to that future."

Executives from each of the companies were joined by several Ohio politicians, including state Gov. Ted Strickland, at the conference.