China and Russia expand cooperation in the nuclear sector based on the principles of balance of interests and mutual benefits

MOSCOW, 10-Nov-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — A statement of Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, on the development of the strategic cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy was adopted at the meeting of the Heads of the Governments.

The document includes the declaration of the Heads of the Governments on the expansion of cooperation in the nuclear sector based on the principles of the balance of interests and mutual benefits, while its purpose being to support ROSATOM’s large-scale projects in China.

In particular, the Heads of the Governments support the joint construction of 2 new Russian-designed units at Tianwan NPP. They are intended to give instructions to promptly complete preparatory actions for signing of the intergovernmental protocol on the project and willing to support the conclusion of the corresponding contracts. Furthermore, there are plans to construct new units in China, and to develop the cooperation in floating nuclear power plants as well as in the promising area of fast neutron reactors which present the Gen IV technology.

China-Russia relationship in peaceful uses of atomic energy is based on long experience of cooperation. In 2007 the first two units were commissioned at Tianwan NPP which, according to the IAEA experts, is one of the safest nuclear power plants in the world. At present, the second stage is in progress at this site and the units are to be commissioned in 2018.

The experimental fast neutron reactor with sodium coolant (CEFR) constructed with the participation of Russian experts was commissioned in 2011.  That year the fourth, which is the last stage of the gas centrifuge enrichment plant was commissioned ahead of schedule. This stage was constructed under the Chinese-Russian Agreement of 1992.  At the end of July, 2014, CNNC New Energy and Rusatom Overseas signed a memorandum on construction of floating nuclear power plants (FNPP), which China will use to supply power to islands and offshore hydrocarbon deposits. In addition, China and Russia interact in the area of isotope products.

Source: Communications Department of ROSATOM