HOUSTON -- Brown & Root, one of the world's largest construction companies but a novice in building nuclear power plants, has been fired from management of the South Texas Nuclear Project because it is running six years behind on the plant it said in 1975 it would complete by 1980.
In announcing Thursday Bechtel Power Corp. will replace Brown & Root as engineer and construction manager on the project, Houston Lighting & Power Co. also disclosed its cost estimate had nearly doubled from $2.7 billion to $4.8 billion.
HL&P said it believes Brown & Root cannot hire enough quality engineers to finish the design task, although it will continue as builder. Brown & Root also is builder, but not design engineer, of Texas Utilities' Comanche Peak nuclear plant.
The plant was begun in 1975 and Brown & Root said then it could be completed in 1980. The first unit, however, is only 60 percent complete and HL&P acknowledged Thursday a realistic on-line date is now mid-1986.
'We certainly feel Brown & Root is an excellent construction company, but we need additional (expertise),' said HL&P spokesman Don Beeth. 'Bechtel has 40 nuclear plants already on line and they have 40 more in process.
'It may be perceived by some as working against the project. Bechtel is not a larger construction company than B&R but it is a larger nuclear construction company. It may be they find it easier to hire the nuclear engineering talent.'
The South Texas Nuclear Project is the only nuclear plant on which Brown & Root has ever attempted both design and construction.
A brief statement from Brown & Root said HL&P had negotiated with Bechtel to assume engineering and construction management responsibilities for the project and had asked Brown & Root to continue to perform construction.
'Brown & Root intends to cooperate fully with the HL&P in making this change, and it has the question of its future role in the project under study,' the Brown & Root statement said.
Under Brown & Root's management the South Texas Nuclear project has become the target of Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigations and criticizm from anti-nuclear forces.
Last year the NRC fined Brown & Root $100,000 for faulty quality control. Some job foremen on the project also have been charged with attempting to divert inspections by NRC examiners.
HL&P is the licensee of the project and, along with several other utilities, contracted with Brown & Root to design and build the facility.
