China offers nuclear reactors to South Africa

[Safriz]

China’s interest in South Africa’s proposed new nuclear power plant
(NPP) programme was made manifest recently when three Chinese
nuclear companies held a joint public briefing of their capabilities and
technologies at the Energex Africa 2013 exhibition in Midrand, north
of Johannesburg. China today has 17 operational NPPs, with another
28 under construction. The State-owned China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC)
highlighted its experience in the nuclear energy sector and its history
in developing NPPs. It currently operates nine reactors and is building
another 12 reactors at five new NPPs.
It has developed a number of pressurised water reactor (PWR)
designs and its latest is the ACP1000, the first two units of which should start construction before the end of this year. “The ACP1000
meets the requirements of Generation III NPPs, including active and
passive [safety] design, [and] feedback from the Fukushima nuclear
accident,” assured CNNC representative Duan Hui. She also cited her company’s success in exporting an earlier NPP
design, the 300 MWe CP300, to Pakistan. Two units (reactors),
designated Chasnupp, were built at the Chashma NPP. “Chasnupp-1
came into commercial production in 2000. Its availability is over 90%.
Chasnupp-2 gained provisional acceptance in May 2011, three months
ahead of schedule. It is now also [fully operational].” CNNC has also exported research reactors – miniature neutron source reactors – to
Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria. “We hope to have good
cooperation with South Africa in nuclear power in the future.” The State Nuclear Power Tech-nology Corporation (SNPTC) also
highlighted its latest design, the CAP1400. This is also a Gen-eration III
PWR. It is based on the technology of Westinghouse Electric’s AP1000.
SNPTC is currently building four AP1000 units in China and has been
the beneficiary of technology transfer from the US company.
Westinghouse has also provided design consultation for the CAP1400. “It has a passive safety system. There is no need for operator action
for 72 hours after an accident. The upgraded safety features are based
on the lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident,” affirmed SNPTC
senior adviser Sun Guangdi. “The CAP1400 is listed by the Chinese government as a National Science and Technology Major Project – one
of 16 [such] projects.” Currently, the plan is to build two CAP1400
units in China. SNPTC describes the CAP1400 as the “largest advanced
passive [safety] nuclear power plant in the world”. It has a designed
generating capacity of 1 500 MW. The China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Corporation (CGN) can
offer South Africa its ACPR1000 PWR design. This, too, is a Generation
III design and is derived from French technology. It has a designed
output of 1 150 MWe. Construction of the first unit in China is expected
to start next year. At the moment, CGN has eight units in operation, 15
more under construction at five sites, while two more sites are in preparation for the construction of a further four units.
“CGN is currently number one in the world for nuclear new builds,”
highlighted company VP: nuclear development department Yang Mao Chun. All three of the Chinese reactor designs on offer have a designed life
span of 60 years. All, again, would need to be refuelled every 18
months.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

So has South Africa decided to go nuclear again?

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

So has South Africa decided to go nuclear again?

South Africa has been relying on Nuclear Power since 1983.

The article is only saying the Chinese are offering a NR to South Africa in addition to the one they already have.

If China is able to secure a deal, it will put itself on the map as a nation able to design and export NRs of greater than 500 MWs.

Environmental groups are really strong in S. Africa, but the government might be able to 'show' a deal helping with the unemployment rate.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

South Africa has been relying on Nuclear Power since 1983.

The article is only saying the Chinese are offering a NR to South Africa in addition to the one they already have.

If China is able to secure a deal, it will put itself on the map as a nation able to design and export NRs of greater than 500 MWs.

Environmental groups are really strong in S. Africa, but the government might be able to 'show' a deal helping with the unemployment rate.

No, I was talking about acquiring atomic weapons.

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

No, I was talking about acquiring atomic weapons.

They're not going to go Nuclear Weapons hot anytime soon. The only reason Fred. Klerk dismantled their 2 or 5 nukes in the first place was so that the white people in the South African government wouldn't be fired once the apartheid era fell.

South Africa isn't going to risk it's economic growth to challenge the Nuclear Club's status quo.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

They're not going to go Nuclear Weapons hot anytime soon. The only reason Fred. Klerk dismantled their 2 or 5 nukes in the first place was so that the white people in the South African government wouldn't be fired once the apartheid era fell.

South Africa isn't going to risk it's economic growth to challenge the Nuclear Club's status quo.

Yeah, most likely impossible I guess.