The World Association of Nuclear Operators trade association has elected Qian Zhimin, chairman of the board of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., Ltd. (CGNPC) as president. He succeeds Shreyans Kumar Jain in the two-year honourary post.

“Nuclear power has played a very important role in China’s economic growth and meeting the increasing energy demands and at the same time addressing climate change concerns,” Qian said at the association’s biannual meeting in New Delhi.

“It is the only form of base load power generation that is environmentally friendly and will therefore, have a major role in fulfilling future energy requirements. Today, mainland China has 11 operating nuclear units with 20 more units under construction, another 8 units, previously approved, to start construction soon.”

During the meeting members voted to restructure WANO to provide greater involvement in WANO activities by member chief executives. ‘This positions

WANO for continued success in the coming years. These important changes

mean WANO can better support the unprecedented international growth in our industry,’ Mr Stricker said. ‘In this way we will maintain our overriding focus on and commitment to nuclear safety.’

Attendees were informed that WANO has now met one of its key milestones: every commercial nuclear plant in the world has received a WANO peer review.

WANO nuclear excellence awards were given to eight people:

• Shashi Bhattacharjee of Nuclear Power Corporation of India, Ltd.

• Bill Coley, formerly of British Energy Group Plc.

• Rafael Férnandez de la Garza of Comisión Federal de Electricidad

• Rhonda A Lightfoot of Bruce Power

• Alexander Lokshin of Rosatom State Corporation

• Amir Shahkarami of Exelon Generation Corporation

• Viktor Shevaldin of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania

• ZAN Yunlong of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., Ltd.

The WANO Nuclear Excellence Awards were established in 2003 to recognise individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to excellence in the operation of nuclear power plants, or the infrastructure that supports the nuclear power enterprise, or through WANO. Potential award recipients undergo a rigorous nomination and selection process before being approved.