China begins groundwork for the 'world's most advanced nuclear reactor'
28 Feb 2008
Mumbai: China has started groundwork for building what it claimed to be the most advanced nuclear reactor in the world, using technology from a US-based consortium.
The reactor, to be built at the eastern city of Sanmen, would use the third generation AP1000 technology from the Westinghouse Consortium, the Xinhua news agency quoted a sources at the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC).
China has signed an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Co. to build four nuclear power plants - two in Sanmen in eastern Zhejiang province and another two in Haiyang city in eastern Shandong province.
Sanmen Nuclear Power Corp will install six AP1000 nuclear generating units, each with a power capacity of 1.25 million kilowatts, before becoming self-sufficient in the AP1000 technology.
The AP1000 had never been employed in any operating power plant anywhere ion the world, the report said, adding that the plant will begin commercial operation in 2013.
China currently has eleven nuclear generating units employing second-generation technologies - three using domestic technologies, two Russian, four French and two Canadian-designed.
China has set a target of an installed nuclear power capacity of 40 million KW by 2020.
