Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, the prominent Japanese conglomerate, has signed a deal with the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) company to advance the construction of the reactor.

"The main objective of the memorandum of understanding is to explore cooperation to enable the construction of the first PBMR reactor for a customer in either South Africa or abroad," the PBMR company said in a statement.

Akira Sawa, executive vice-president and general manager of nuclear energy systems at Mitsubishi Heavy, said his firm would undertake research and development work to help ensure the success of the project, which deals with the next generation of nuclear reactors.

Reported by Reuters