20 billion! China and Russia signed the largest nuclear power project to date, and Russian technology stole the US market.

[Observer Network Comprehensive Report] On the eve of the SCO Qingdao Summit, China and Russia recently signed the largest nuclear power cooperation project to date, with a total contract value exceeding 20 billion yuan and a total project cost exceeding 100 billion yuan.

Among them, some units originally scheduled to use American technology have now switched to Russian technology, which has surprised the industry.

According to the news released by CNNC on the 8th, CNNC and Russian National Atomic Energy Group signed the Framework Contract for Unit 7/8 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, the Framework Contract for Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant and the Framework Contract for Equipment Supply and Service Procurement of China Demonstration Fast Reactor in the Great Hall of the People, witnessed by the Supreme Leader of president, China and Russian President Putin.

On June 8, the supreme leader of president held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Great Hall of the People. Photo courtesy of Xinhua News Agency.

This is by far the largest nuclear energy cooperation project between China and Russia. The total amount of the above-mentioned package contracts exceeds 20 billion yuan, and the total project cost exceeds 100 billion yuan.

20 billion nuclear bills, this move by Russia surprised the industry.

These three contracts correspond to three projects, including five nuclear power units. Among them, Xudabao Nuclear Power Station is located in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, and is developed by China National Nuclear Corporation Liaoning Nuclear Power Company, which is controlled by China National Nuclear Corporation. The plan has not yet started, and it is planned to build six million kilowatt nuclear power units.

The first phase of the Xudabao nuclear power plant has two units.Previously, it was decided to adopt AP1000 technology designed by Westinghouse.The world’s first AP1000 nuclear power unit is currently located in Sanmen Nuclear Power Project, Zhejiang Province, and is also purchased from Westinghouse. Caijing magazine quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the main equipment needed for the first phase of Xudabao Nuclear Power Station had already been ordered. According to the convention, the same technical route is generally adopted at the same site, so all six units of Xudabao Nuclear Power Station will adopt AP1000 technology.

But according to this contract,Tianwan and XudaFort cooperation project will adoptfourTaiwan and RussiaVVER-1200Type iii nuclear power unit.China and Russia will cooperate in equipment supply and technical services in the demonstration fast reactor project in China.

Xu Dabao nuclear power plant renderings fromChina Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd.

In this regard, Caijing reporters learned from many sources that the AP1000 technology will not be changed for two units in the original phase I project, and the new VVER units will be applied to units 3 and 4 in the second phase of Xudabao.This also means that Russia was able to grab the original target market of Westinghouse.Some insiders also told Caijing that the possibility of starting the second phase of Xudabao before the first phase of the project is not ruled out, and it is even very likely that this arrangement will be made.

In addition to the Xudabao nuclear power plant mentioned in the contract, Tianwan nuclear power plant is located in Lianyun District, Lianyungang City, and eight million kilowatt pressurized water reactor nuclear power units are planned to be built at the site. Russian AES-91 nuclear power units are used in the first phase project No.1 and No.2 and the second phase project No.3 and No.4, which are high-tech cooperation in the field of nuclear energy under the promotion of deepening political mutual trust, developing economy and trade and strengthening international strategic cooperation between China and Russia, and are the landmark projects of Sino-Russian nuclear energy cooperation. The construction of Unit 5 was officially started in December 2015, which became the final work of newly-built nuclear power units in China during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan period.

Tianwan nuclear power plant map fromNational quality and safety supervision and inspection center for industrial buildings and structures

Finally, the fast reactor project refers to the demonstration project of Xiapu fast reactor in Fujian. The so-called "fast reactor" is the abbreviation of "fast neutron reactor". Fast reactor nuclear power technology is called the main reactor type of the fourth generation advanced nuclear energy system. It can increase the utilization rate of natural uranium resources from about 1% to over 60% at present, and minimize radioactive waste, which can solve the problems of depleted uranium resources, low utilization rate of nuclear materials and difficult disposal of nuclear waste in one fell swoop.

On December 29, 2017, CNNC announced in Xiapu County, Fujian Province that the civil construction drawing of the demonstration fast reactor project was from CNNC.