Posted on 07/24/2007 3:04:07 PM PDT by RS_Rider
BEIJING -- Westinghouse Electric Co. signed deals today to build four nuclear power plants in China and to transfer technology for its newest reactor to a Chinese partner, a cost of gaining a foothold in the country's fast-growing industry.
Westinghouse President Steve Tritch described the deal for third-generation AP1000 reactors as "multibillion-dollar contracts," but said the Chinese buyers asked the company not to disclose details.
The deal calls for Westinghouse to hand over technology for the AP1000 to China's government-owned State Nuclear Power Technology Corp., making it the basis for Chinese efforts to develop a nuclear industry.
"The signing of these contracts is a grand event for the development of China's nuclear industry," Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan told Tritch before the contract-signing ceremony.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
....Awful trusting of the enemy, I'd say
Just exporting the technology that Americans will not use.
what do you want to bet that shortly, the Chinese will be competing against American companies to provide nuclear plants inside of the US. They have enough pull to get the contracts that will not be awarded domestically. Talk about not wanting to be around when they open the breaker!
Our nuclear power plant designers went up for sale and no one (the public) was told. I’m sure there’s a piece in Money or the Financial Times but they bought everything, I don’t know what to say...
so the Japanese just sold their newly acquired technology lock stock and barrel to their best friends, the Chinese, a match made in.........
We can hardly expect to retain technological leadership in a technology we won’t use ourselves.
General Electric would have liked to buy it but that’s not allowed. Antitrust. So we sell it to someone that no one can trust.
Toshiba was the same company that sold computer controled milling equipment to the Soviet Union that allowed them to fabricate super quiet submarine propellers.
I hope the Chinese take this ball and run with it. I want to see nukes mass-produced and sold at Wal-Mart.
The industry spent a lot of money trying to get the American public to adopt this domestically invented technology, but the flat-earth lobby has not allowed us to use it. So now it's only natural that it be sold overseas. Every megawatt generated by nuclear, no matter who builds the plants, is a megawatt not generated from oil or gas.
Yeah, with all their concern about public safety and quality.
May the first Chinese nuclear reactor be built in your neck of the woods.
That might explain where Toshiba came up with the astronomical bid for Westinghouse against Mitsubishi.
We have a site all ready for it, too. "Just generating the power that California won't generate!"
Actually this in incorrect. The AP1000 power plants are modern generation III power plants whos design emphasized primarily passive safety features, simplicity, and reduced cost due to commonality of components.
All AP1000 power plants should be built identical to each other which would simplify and reduce operation, maintenance, and construction costs.
Four of the AP1000 Power Plants are planned for the U.S. and Four are also planned for China.
However, it will occur in China (and very soon). Standardization is the big buzz word in the nuclear industry. It keeps costs down because of commonality (as state in post #16).
Because there will be a big build up in China and the fact that the AP1000 is one of the standards that they will use, it is very likely that licensing fees will be paid to Westinghouse. And those fees may amount to more profit than the few reactors built here in the US.
That's why the urgency to get the AP1000 into China; standardization and potentially, licensing fees. Plus support and maintenance of those reactors through the years.
China is still a developing country, and their energy demands will far outstrip their ability to train up individuals. There will be business for Westinghouse expertise for years to come.
I’m a Westinghouse engineer. I’m in services, not new plants, but I do get a lot of information about new plants.
Your post was one of the best in this thread.
Allow me to elaborate on some of your points (as much as I’m able).
At present there are, in one stage or another, an interest for close to 30 domestic AP1000 plants. Overseas, I believe that close to 40 countries are interested (some of them unfriendly, but most are ok).
Standardization IS important, and will be heavily emphasized. This will reduce construction and servicing costs.
The “staffing-up” for the Chinese plants will play an important role for the anticipated large number of domestic orders. Re-introducing a domestic manufacturing capability is also possible.
In a recent press release, it was announced that Westinghouse signed an agreement to purchase IST Nuclear (ISTN), a leading provider of services and systems for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR). China will have Generation III technology, while we’ll be supplying Generation IV plants.
I’m not at all opposed to nuclear energy although I am most definitely opposed to Chinese nuclear reactors on US soil. It’s ok when individuals buy substandard Chinese goods and put themselves as risk but when you’re talking about a device that can put many unsuspecting people at risk, that’s where the line needs to be drawn.
Would you not think that the foundation of standardization regarding the AP1000 would start with a common design software package? I was a contractor at the Energy center and I know of at least 4 different CADD software packages that are being used on the AP1000. These design tools do not integrate with each other. They have not set a standard for vendors, in witch there are hundreds. As you say, “Standardization” is a buzz word.... nothing more.
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