Russia to build two more nuclear reactors in China

Photo: Russia to build two more nuclear reactors in China

Russia to build two more nuclear reactors in China

Russia will build two more nuclear reactors at a Chinese power plant where it built two reactors which are working and proving power, a spokesman said.

The agreement, which envisions ZAO Atomstroiexport building the third and fourth reactors at the Tianwan nuclear power plant north of Shanghai, came during a visit to Russia by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that focused on economic cooperation.

Atomstroiexport President Sergei Shmatko signed the agreement with the head of China's Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, or JNPC, said Atomstroiexport spokeswoman Irina Yesipova. She said JNPC would take the deal to the Chinese government for approval.

Atomstroiexport completed its contract to build the first two 1,000-megawatt light-water VVER-1000 reactors at Tianwan earlier this year, and the plant is working at full capacity, the Russian company said.

Russia has built nuclear reactors in several countries and is seeking to expand nuclear activities abroad.

According to Russian news agencies, Russian nuclear agency chief Sergei Kiriyenko and a Chinese official signed a protocol to a 1992 agreement on cooperation in building a gas-centrifuge plant in China for the enrichment of uranium for nuclear power plants.

In addition, the head of Russian nuclear services company Tekhsnabexport and a Chinese company chief signed a framework agreement for Tekhsnabexport to help build a new portion of a gas centrifuge plant in China, the reports said.

Also signed were agreements on cooperation in banking, scientific development and small and medium-sized business, state-run RIA-Novosti reported.

Wen met on Monday with President Vladimir Putin and on Tuesday with Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.

Zubkov said the volume of trade between Russia and China is expected to reach a record US$40 billion (EUR27 billion) this year, the Interfax news agency reported - still only a small fraction of China's total trade volume.

When Chinese leader Hu Jintao visited Moscow in March, he and Putin pledged to expand economic cooperation, which has lagged behind thriving military and security ties.