China rolls out its first 1000 MW nuclear reactor

BEIJING: China has rolled out its advanced 1,000-megawatt pressurised water nuclear power reactor, ACPR-1000 which could allow it to export technology to other countries, including Pakistan, without the constraints of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues.

The reactor was "independently" developed by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation, with full IPR and made its debut at the 13th China Hi-Tech Fair in southern city of Shenzhen, state-run People's Daily reported today.

The technology has incorporated the lessons of the Fukushima nuclear accident. It can cope with extreme situations, with its all technical and economic indicators meeting the standards of international third-generation nuclear power technology.

China currently has 13 nuclear power plants with varied capacities and constructing 27 others, mostly with 1000 mw capacity, made with US, French and Japanese technologies.

Work in all these plants was stopped for safety review after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear reactors.

The new reactor was expected to be ready for installation by 2013.

Its immediate significance was that the high-powered reactor could be made available to Pakistan.

China initially built two nuclear power plants with capacity of around 300 MW at Chashma and is building two more reactors apparently of about 340 MW there.

In addition to this, China has expressed its commitment to build one gigawat (1000 MW) nuclear reactor against which India and United States have expressed strong reservations as Beijing has not sought the approval of Nuclear Suppliers Group NSG).

The move to build the reactor was interpreted as an attempt by China to mollify Pakistan in the backdrop Indo-US civil nuclear deal which Washington declined to accord the same to Islamabad.