China said it has acquired the first foreign contract for its self-developed 1000 mw nuclear reactor hinting that it could be exported to Pakistan, overriding the concerns of US and India.
ACP1000, a third-generation nuclear reactor developed independently by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), has secured its first foreign contract, the company said on Friday.
The reactor passed a review by an expert panel in Beijing on Friday and construction will begin at the foreign site after a domestic ACP1000 reactor work begins at the end of this year, CNNC vice-president Lyu Huaxiang told state-run China Daily.
However, he did not disclose the name of the country where it will be built.
It is the first export contract and more global cooperation is under way, he said.
China has so far aided and assisted Pakistan to construct four power plants at Chashma and is committed to build a heavy reactor there.
Chashma one and two were stated to be 300 mw each and as per the previous plans the three and four were stated to have 340 mw each.
While one and two were already commissioned, three and four were expected to be commissioned in 2016.
It is not clear whether the 1000 mw reactor would be a fifth one to be constructed or it would be built in Karachi.
Last month the Foreign Ministry Hong Lei tacitly confirmed reports of signing an agreement with Pakistan to build a 1000 mw nuclear power plant and defended the deal saying that it confirmed to safeguards of the IAEA.
He was reacting to the US media reports that China and Pakistan have entered a secret agreement to build a 1000 mw reactor.
The Washington Free Beacon portal quoted unnamed state department official as saying that the Chinese move would be in violation of its promise to the 47-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
China, which joined NSG in 2005, had agreed not to sell additional reactors to Pakistan beyond the two reactors sold earlier.
I want to point out that relevant cooperation between China and Pakistan does not violate relevant norms of the NSG, Hong said, adding that in recent years the two countries have carried out some cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear cooperation.
China argues that the new 1000 mw plant was grandfathered by a previous agreement that led to the construction and operation of earlier nuclear power plants at Chashma.
Source: India Today
