UPDATE 1-Hitachi, Toshiba expected to win TEPCO order -Nikkei

Jan 27 (Reuters) - Hitachi Ltd (6501.T) and Toshiba Corp (6502.T) are expected to win a 200-billion-yen order to build key infrastructure for a Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) (9501.T) nuclear plant that is to be Japan's largest, the Nikkei business daily reported.

Construction of the plant in Higashidori village, Aomori Prefecture, began Tuesday, with TEPCO, Japan's biggest utility, aiming to bring it onstream in March 2017, the paper said.

Hitachi will be responsible for the reactor, while Toshiba will handle the steam turbine and generator at the advanced boiling-water reactor plant, which will generate 1.385 million kilowatts, the daily said.

Hitachi's nuclear unit, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy Ltd, and Toshiba have formed a consortium and signed an engineering deal with TEPCO, the paper said.

Design work is underway and TEPCO is expected to officially order the reactor, steam turbine and power generator as soon as the spring, the Nikkei said.

The duo aim to use the Higashidori No. 1 unit to win orders overseas for advanced boiling-water reactor plants, the paper said. (Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Prem Udayabhanu)