Chinese investors are interested in the £10bn Cumbrian new nuclear project, according to new reports.

A delegation from State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC), based in Beijing, is due in London this week to meet representatives from NuGen, which has plans for a power plant in Moorside, near Sellafield, and trade body the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).

This claim has been reported by The Sunday Times and both organisations have not denied that such a meeting will take place.

There have been concerns over the project - expected to create 21,000 jobs - because of the financial health of Toshiba, which has a 60 per cent stake in NuGen and is soon set to take full control after its American nuclear division Westinghouse Electric filed for bankruptcy leading the other shareholder to use legal agreements to sell its stake.

Toshiba is forecast to make a £6.5bn loss for the last year of business and has missed a deadline to file its final year accounts in Japan.

NuGen is was having a "review of its options" on the power plant proposals. Last week, NuGen's chief executive Tom Samson said Toshiba had given its "100 per cent backing" to Moorside but concern over whether the project will go ahead remain.

Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) have said they are interested in investing in the project.

It is thought that one stumbling block to Korean investment though may be the type of reactor planned for use at Moorside; the Westinghouse AP1000, three of which are planned for the site. Kepco uses a different reactor in its projects, the APR-1400.

SNPTC though is building a power station in Haiyang, Shandon Province, which will make use of the AP1000. Another Chinese power station in Sanmen, Zhejiang, also uses this reactor and is run by a different company.

A NuGen spokesman said: “As we are undertaking a strategic review we have no comment to make on media speculation.”

An NIA spokeswoman added: "As the trade association for the civil nuclear industry we will meet visiting international delegations to provide an overview of the UK’s civil nuclear sector.”