Exelon chooses ABWR design for Texas nuclear plan

HOUSTON, March 26 (Reuters) - Exelon Corp, (EXC.N) the nation's largest operator of nuclear plants, has selected an alternate technology from GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GE.N) (6501.T) for a proposed Texas nuclear plant, the company said Thursday.

Exelon spokesman Craig Nesbit said the company signed an agreement with Hitachi to develop two 1,350-megawatt Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWR) in Victoria County, Texas.

Last fall, Exelon said it would not proceed with an initial plan to use the GE/Hitachi Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) because that design has not been certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Reporting by Eileen O'Grady; Editing by John Picinich)