Pakistan seeks latest Chinese nuclear technology

Beijing: Pakistan is seeking the latest Chinese technology to build over 1,000 MW power nuclear reactor being developed by China. “Pakistan is in discussions with Chinese companies for imports of the third-generation nuclear technology,” Pakistan’s minister of science and technology, Mir Changez Khan Jamali said. [caption id=“attachment_84631” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“China has been building its own 1,000 MW nuclear power plants but with American, Japanese and French technologies and cannot export them without permission from those countries. Getty Images”]  [/caption] The minister, who is in the country to attend Summer Davos World Economic Forum in Dalian, told state-run China Daily that he hoped the latest technology can be acquired by Pakistan in one or two years. China has helped build two reactors at Pakistan’s Chashma nuclear power plant, both of which were that of second generation technology, to produce over 300 MW of power. China had also announced to build two more such plants arguing that it has already informed the Nuclear Suppliers Group, (NSG) about it. China says it has committed to build it under the International Atomic Energy Association, (IAEA), safety supervision. But China apparently has a problem in extending the technology as it’s own 1000 MW besides more power plants are still being developed. China has been building its own 1,000 MW nuclear power plants but with American, Japanese and French technologies and cannot export them without permission from those countries. According to the daily, China is developing its first domestic third-generation nuclear reactor – the CAP 1400, which is based on Westinghouse Electric Co’s AP1000 pressurised water reactor, and it will boost the unit’s generating capacity to 1,400 mw from 1,154 MW. But preparations for the construction of the first CAP 1400 unit, which were due to start this year were delayed after the Fukushima nuclear incident in March. Following the Japanese nuclear leak, the Chinese government announced that it would suspend approvals for nuclear power stations and conduct full safety checks of all nuclear projects, including those under construction. PTI