Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed that Russia and China are discussing the possible expansion of nuclear cooperation between the two countries in foreign markets.
“We are now negotiating further joint operations in third country markets,” Putin said after a talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Putin also noted that two more units of China’s Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), built with Russian technology, will start operation in 2018.
Earlier Atomstroyexport JSC (ASE JSC), a division of Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), announced that company plans to complete loading of first fuel into Unit 3 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in the end of August 2017.
In June 2016, ASE JSC has also commissioned a full-scale simulator for Units 3 and 4 of Tianwan NPP (TNPP), which replicates the NPP main control room to the full extent.
The full-scale simulator is designed for Chinese operators’ training.
Commissioning of Unit 3 is planned in February 2018, commissioning of Unit 4 – in December 2018.
China-Russia Nuclear Sector Cooperation
China and Russia have been developing cooperation in the nuclear sector for years. China is implementing the Tianwan NPP project with the involvement of ROSATOM.
The first stage of Tianwan NPP (Lianyungang, China) was commissioned in 2007 (Units 1 and 2 with VVER-1000).
The second stage is under construction at present (Units 3 and 4 with VVER-1000).
The General Contractor of the project is ASE group of companies. ASE Group of Companies was established within the framework of founding the engineering division of Rosatom State Corporation by merging the leading companies in the industry: NIAEP JSC, ASE JSC, Atomenergorpekt JSC and Atomproekt JSC.
ASE Company is one of the leaders in global nuclear engineering business and accounts for more than 30% of the global NPP construction market. – BusinessNewsAsia.com