China Nuclear Power: AP1000 Adoption Analysis

[landscape]

as we know, China adopt the AP1000 as major plants to provide nuclear power in next 30 years. What do you think about this trade?

 

[Astronuc]

I'm not sure what one is after with the question, "What do you think about this trade? "

The AP-1000 is an advanced PWR (1000 MWe). The competitor is AREVA's EPR, which has a capacity of 1600-1700 MW. The attraction for the advanced designs is reduction in components (e.g. valves) and length of piping which in theory reduces capital cost and O&M costs compared to current pants.

My understanding from some involved is that China is getting a great deal, i.e. they are getting the technology for a fraction of the initial cost (they don't need to spend the funds for R&D).

 

[gmax137]

The other thing about the AP-1000 is that it is a "passive" design (thats what the "P" in the "AP" stands for). The engineered safeguards that function to prevent the core from melting during an accident (eg, ECCS and containment cooling) work by gravity and natural circulation flows; they don't rely on active pumping of fluids (and the associated need for emergency electical power from standby diesel generators). This is supposed to make the plant substantially safer than the currently operating designs. Less complexity = higher reliability = greater safety.

This is a good deal for the Chinese, in the sense that they will be the first to build & operate the new design. I'm betting that they are planning on marketing these to the rest of the world, with suitable "evolutionary" features to bamboozle the Westinghouse lawyers.