UK government paves way for Chinese nuclear plant

The UK and China signed two agreements 17 June enabling Chinese companies not only to invest in nuclear power plant projects but also to build Chinese-design nuclear reactors in the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said.

The UK and China signed two agreements 17 June enabling Chinese companies not only to invest in nuclear power plant projects but also to build Chinese-design nuclear reactors in the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said.

The agreements were signed during China Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to the UK between 16 and 19 June.

Cameron welcomes Li to Downing Street

Li and British Prime Minister David Cameron signed a civil nuclear agreement, which DECC said "paves the way" for Chinese companies to invest in Hinkley Point C - EDF Energy's project to build two 1.6 GW EPR at Hinkley Point on the northern Somerset coast.

In a joint statement, Li and Cameron said China and the UK "stand ready to work together to ensure the success of Hinkley Point as soon as possible."

DECC and EDF Group, EDF Energy's parent company, announced last October they had agreed the main commercial terms of an investment contract for Hinkley Point C, allowing the state-owned French company to secure partners to finance the project. The share of equity is expected to be divided between EDF with 45-50%, China General Nuclear (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) with 30-40%, Areva with 10%, and "interested parties" with up to 15%.

DECC said the joint civil nuclear agreement signed yesterday also aims at "better cooperation in the wider nuclear fuel supply chain cycle by working together to develop and export innovative solutions in areas such as waste treatment and decommissioning which could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds to British companies over several years."

The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding the UK signed with China last October, which set out a framework of cooperation in civil nuclear energy, DECC said.

The second and separate agreement is a four-way memorandum of understanding between DECC, CNNC, China Atomic Energy Authority, and International Nuclear Services - the commercial arm of the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. DECC said this "landmark agreement" would enable Chinese companies to own and operate a Chinese-designed nuclear power plant in the UK, provided they meet UK regulatory requirements.

Rolls-Royce, the British engineering company, announced separately that it had signed identical memoranda of understanding with Chinese nuclear reactor vendors State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation and China General Nuclear Power Co. The memoranda will "explore possible collaboration in areas such as engineering support, provision of components and systems, supply chain management and instrumentation & control technology," Rolls-Royce said.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News