The Fourth International Exhibition of Nuclear Power Industry has attracted dozens of nuclear businesses worldwide.

Westinghouse, which has recently merged its nuclear department with the British nuclear fuel company BNFL and the nuclear power department of ABB, staged a strong presence at the event, together with its partners in Japan, the Republic of Korea and Spain.

James W Veirs, deputy head of Westinghouse's Department of Nuclear System, said his company is keenly watching China's rapidly growing economy and its nuclear power plan, and is trying its best to take part in China's nuclear power projects.

Over the past five years, China embarked on the construction of four nuclear power plants in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong, with a total installed capacity of 6.6 million kilowatts.

The figure is three times over the combined capacity of the first phase of the Qinshan plant in Zhejiang and the Dayawan plant in Guangdong that had already gone into operation.

Yet nuclear power currently accounts for only 1 percent of the county's power supply, compared to 21.9 percent for the United States, 33.4 percent for Japan and 77.4 percent for France.

China's coastal areas, which witnessed rapid economic growth over the last two decades, are showing great enthusiasm towards nuclear power.

Li Guangjun, an official from Taizhou city in Zhejiang, said the city is very likely to embark on a nuclear power plant in the next few years, because it is facing a serious power shortage and has a good site for a nuclear power plant.

Authoritative sources said China has basically acquired the technologies of pressurized water reactors and reported rapid progress in raising the local contents of nuclear power equipment.

In the future, the sources said, China will raise higher demands on foreign partners in the advancement of technologies and technology transfer.

Veirs said the key to getting nuclear power contracts in China is safety, reliability and economical competitiveness.

He said Westinghouse is ready to transfer the latest nuclear reactor technologies and operation management method to China, and will form into a closer partnership with Chinese research institutions and manufacturers.

(Chinadaily.com.cn 03/31/2001)