The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on nuclear safety for the Westinghouse Advanced Pressurised Reactor (AP1000) with the National Nuclear Safety Administration of China (NNSA).
The agreement provides for the establishment of an NRC-NNSA steering committee to oversee technical cooperation on the AP1000.
Meanwhile, in related news, the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC), a company focussed on using advanced foreign nuclear technology and indigenous development has been officially launched in China.
According to state media, the company is close to completing a deal with US-based Westinghouse Electric Co to build third-generation nuclear power generators following the signing of a framework agreement in March.
Under the terms of the agreement China will use the AP1000 technology for four third-generation nuclear reactors, two in Sanmen in Zhejiang Province and two in Haiyang, Shandong Province.
The central government will hold 60% of the company, with the remaining shares held by four large State-owned enterprises, China National Nuclear Corp, China Power Investment Corp, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co and China National Technical Imp & Exp Corp.
