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)
