Tokyo- Toshiba Corp has signed a contract to engineer and build two nuclear plants in the southern US state of Texas, the Japanese company said Wednesday.

Toshiba would deliver the two reactors and other equipment while offering engineering work for the project managed by the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Co, it said.

The reactors would be the first 1,400-megawatt advanced boiling-water reactors in the United States.

One was expected to start operating in 2016, and the other in 2017.

Toshiba's US subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric Co, has been expanding its nuclear power business in the country. The latest deal was the first clinched by the parent firm abroad for integrated nuclear plant construction work. (dpa)