Further Chinese valve orders for Flowserve

Thursday, 5 August 2010

Flowserve has announced three orders totalling over $10 million from China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Ltd (CNPEC) for main steam isolation valves (MSIVs) for six new nuclear power reactors. 

 

A valve for nuclear power plant applications (Image: Flowserve)

MSIVs are used to assist in the safe shutdown of a reactor in the unlikely event of a rupture in the plant's main steam piping. The valves will be used in six CPR-1000 reactors that are either currently under construction or set to begin construction soon. These are: Yangjiang units 3 and 4 in Guangdong province, Fangchenggang units 1 and 2 in Guangxi autonomous province and Ningde units 3 and 4 in Fujian province. The 1000 MWe units are scheduled to begin commercial operation between 2014 and 2016.

 

Flowserve will manufacture the valves at its facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are scheduled to be delivered in 2011 and 2012.

 

Tom Pajonas, president of Flowserve's flow control division, commented: "China remains an important aspect of our global growth strategy and these orders demonstrate our continued leadership position in this market."

 

In April, the company announced that it had been awarded a separate contract by CNPEC to supply safety-related valves for units 1 and 2 of the Taishan nuclear power plant under construction in Guangdong province. Under that contract, Flowserve will supply the MSIVs, the main feedwater isolation valves (MFIVs) and the feedwater motor-operated valves for the units. Taishan 1 and 2 are the first two reactors based on Areva's EPR technology to be built in China. They are due to start operating in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

 

In March, Flowserve announced an order worth over $15 million from CNPEC for valves and actuators for the Sanmen and Haiyang unit 2 Westinghouse AP1000 reactors.

 

Flowserve has finalized its joint venture agreement with China's SUFA Technology Industry Co Ltd to produce safety-related valves, one of the few component areas lacking in the Chinese supply chain.

 

In March 2009, Flowserve and SUFA - a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) and the largest valve manufacturer in China - agreed to form the joint venture called SUFA-Flowserve Nuclear Power Equipment Co Ltd. The new firm was to be based in Suzhou, Jiangsu province and 51% owned by SUFA and 49% by Flowserve. That agreement formalized a memorandum of understanding signed between Flowserve and SUFA in November 2007. The two partners signed an amendment to the joint venture agreement, under which SUFA's ownership share will be increased to 55%, while Flowserve will take 45%.

 

As part of the agreement, both companies will supply nuclear power industry valve technology and jointly construct a manufacturing facility. The joint venture will manufacture safety-related valves, including MSIVs, exclusively for China's nuclear power industry.

 

Meanwhile, Jiangsu Shentong Valve Co announced that it has been selected by CNPEC to supply butterfly valves for units 3 to 6 of the Yangjiang plant and units 1 and 2 of the Fangchenggang plant. The value of the order is some $18.6 million.

 

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News