CNNC signs agreement with Sichuan province
28 June 2010
A nuclear power plant could be constructed in China's southwestern inland Sichuan province following the signing of an agreement between China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) and the provincial government.
During a signing ceremony in Chengdu on 24 June, a framework agreement on cooperation in the field of nuclear power was signed by CNNC and the Sichuan government.
.jpg "CNNC-Sichuan (CNNC)") |
| Signing of the CNNC-Sichuan agreement (Image: CNNC) |
Under the agreement, the Sichuan government will actively support CNNC, which was instructed by the Chinese government to conduct preliminary work for the construction of nuclear power projects in the province as part of the country's nuclear power policy and development plans.
CNNC will hold a controlling stake in any nuclear power plant it builds in Sichuan. The company said that it aims to get approval as soon as possible from the central government to construct power reactors in the province.
In addition, Sichuan will actively support CNNC in prospecting and mining uranium resources in the province and in developing nuclear fuel processing and manufacturing enterprises in Sichuan.
CNNC's main pressurized water reactor fuel fabrication plant at Yibin, Sichuan province, was set up in 1982 to supply Qinshan 1. It is operated by CNNC subsidiary China Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel (JNF), and by October 2008 was producing 400 tU/yr. VVER fuel fabrication was due to begin in 2009, using technology transferred from TVEL under the fuel supply contract for Tianwan. The Yibin plant is expected to keep expanding - to 600 tU per year by 2010 and 1000 tU per year or more by 2020.
More than 16 provinces, regions and municipalities have announced intentions to build nuclear power plants in the 12th Five Year Plan, 2011-15. These include Sichuan province.
In July 2008, it was announced that Sichuan was planning the 4000-6000 MWe Sanba nuclear power plant at Nanchong or Nanchun city on the Jialing River, at a cost of some $3.7 billion. Majority ownership would be China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC), but the project will also be open to other investors.
The eleven nuclear power reactors currently in operation in China are all on the country's eastern coast. A number of provinces - including Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan and Jiangxi - are vying to construct China's first inland nuclear power plant.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News