China remains open to the third-generation nuclear power technologies of France and Russia even though it has adopted the AP 1000 developed by US-based Westinghouse, said a senior executive of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) on Sunday.

China's first third-generation pressurized water reactors adopting Westinghouse technology will be put into commercial operation at the end of 2013, Ma Lu, vice president of the SNPTC, the state-authorized third-generation nuclear power generation developer, said at the China-ASEAN Power Cooperation and Development Forum.

The reactor, located in Sanmen City of East China's Zhejiang Province, will also be the first in the world to use the AP 1000 technologies.

While selecting supply bidders for supply of third-generation nuclear power facilities and technologies, China considers factors concerning commercial use, technology and laws, while stressing technology transfer and localization, said Ma Lu.

When China launched the bidding in 2003 for its third-generation nuclear power stations, foreign companies including Westinghouse, France's Areva and Russia's AtomStroyExport were major contenders for the contract.

Westinghouse came out ahead after China signed a memo with the US on the introduction and transfer of 3rd generation nuclear power technologies in December 2006.

The final agreement was inked between the SNPTC and Westinghouse in July 2007, and it stipulates that China will buy four third-generation pressurized water reactors from Westinghouse, including technology transfers to China.

Two of the four pressurized water reactors will be installed two in Sanmen City and two in Haiyang City, Shandong Province; preliminary preparations for the AP 1000 projects have finished at both sites.

After importing the AP 1000 technology from Westinghouse, the SNPTC will try its best to absorb it and make innovations, said Ma.

By the year 2020, China will have 40-million-kilowatt installed capacity of nuclear power, accounting for 4 percent of the country's total. At present, the installed capacity of nuclear power is only about eight million kilowatts.

As there is still a large room for China to develop its nuclear power capacity, China remains open to nuclear power generation technologies from other countries including France and Russia, said Ma.

China now has 11 nuclear power reactors in operation. Among them, three use domestic technologies, two are equipped with Russian technology and four with French technologies, and two are Canadian designed. All the 11 reactors employ second-generation nuclear power technologies.

Established this May, the SNPTC is jointly funded by the State Council and four large state-owned enterprises. It is authorized by the State Council to sign contracts for the transfer of third-generation nuclear power technologies from other countries on behalf of China.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2007)