CNNC Plans to Invest $50 Billion for Development of Third Generation Nuclear Power by 2020

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) (Beijing) will invest $50 billion for the research, development and construction of third-generation nuclear power plants by 2020. Third-generation nuclear power technology uses the most advanced available nuclear technology, providing an opportunity for China to demonstrate its technical achievements in the nuclear industry.

Presently, CNNC has several nuclear power projects under construction, including Qinshan Phase II Expansion Project and Sanmen Nuclear Power Project located at eastern China's Zhejiang province. Qinshan Phase II currently has two 650-megawatt (MW) nuclear power units in operation that were developed by CNNC. The expansion project will be furnished with two similar units. Construction of Unit 3 was started in March 2007. Both units are planned to begin commercial operation around 2011. Upon completion, the installed capacity of Qinshan Phase II will reach 2,600 MW, with an annual output of over 16 billion kilowatt-hours.

Prior to Qinshan Phase II, CNNC designed, built and operated one 300-MW pressurized reactor in Qinshan Nuclear power Station, the first nuclear power plant in China. In addition to the 1,500 MW of nuclear power units that it has built, CNNC also owns half of the over 8,000 MW of imported nuclear power units that currently operate in China. For Qinshan Phase III, the largest joint venture between China and Canada to date, Canada is providing two 720-MW units, and CNNC is responsible for the civil and erection works, as well as part of the design tasks for the project.

Through research and development of key nuclear technologies, CNNC has begun producing equipment and materials for the nuclear industry within China. Currently, China has established three major nuclear power equipment manufacturing plants in Shanghai, Sichuan and northeastern China, and many Chinese enterprises have contributed to the manufacture of related equipment and materials for Chinese nuclear power stations.

According to the Middle and Long-Term Development Plan for Nuclear Power (2005-2020), the installed capacity of nuclear power in China will be expanded to 40,000 MW, with another 18,000 MW under construction. This means that China will have at least three nuclear power units beginning construction every year for the next 10 years. The production capacity in various parts of the nuclear fuel sector will also be expanded four to six times by 2020.

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