Nuclear module base for Nanjing
10 June 2010
A nuclear technology base is to be established near Nanjing in eastern China featuring as its centrepiece a $146 million factory for pre-assembled power plant modules.
Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province and the second largest regional city after Shanghai, about 300 kilometres to the east. It hosts the headquarters of Huaxing Nuclear Construction Company, which claims to have the largest market share of construction work among the 20 reactors currently being built in China.
Huaxing has chosen to place its module factory in the nearby 'Nanjing Jiangning Binjiang Development Zone', where over 51 square kilometres alongside the Yangtze River has been allocated for development as part of a huge industrial belt. The CNY1 billion ($146 million) plant will produce modules and components to for future Chinese nuclear power plants that can be transported by barge and emplaced on site by large cranes. The development zone said the value of the modules would reach RMB3.2 billion per year ($468 million).
This is part of a larger development known as the China Nuclear Binjiang Production Base, which includes other developments such as a research facility for nuclear-grade concrete. Nanjing sees itself as a transport hub and the overall development zone will be served by a new river port including a bulk cargo terminal and 12 deep-water piers.
The deal to set up this new nuclear production base was signed off in May by Huaxing, China Nuclear Concrete Company, the Nanjing city government and the development zone authorities. Work to build the new plants is in the preparatory stages with installation expected to take place in three phases lasting five years in total.
Researched by the Nicobar Group
for World Nuclear News