[Report by Fan Xi: "The National Energy Bureau Says That China Is Able To Produce Forge Pieces for Million-Kilowatt Nuclear Reactors"]

Beijing, 1 Aug (Xinhua) - The China First Heavy Industries singed a contract with the China National Nuclear Corporation in Beijing on 1 August, in which the former agrees to supply four million- kilowatt nuclear reactor pressure vessels to the latter. At the contract signing ceremony, Zhang Guobao, who was recently appointed as the director of the National Energy Bureau, said that China is able to produce independently forge pieces for million-kilowatt nuclear reactors.

It has been learned that the four million-kilowatt nuclear reactor pressure vessels to be built by the China First Heavy Industries will be used in the China National Nuclear Corporation's Fangjiashan nuclear power project and Fuqing nuclear power project. These two projects are designed and built independently by China. They use second-generation million-kilowatt nuclear reactors, which are widely used internationally with a rich record of safe operation.

Zhang Guobao said: In the world today, the price of crude oil increases by a great margin and the whole world pays great attention to the global warming issue. Countries around the world have once again attached great importance to the use of nuclear power. Actively promoting the construction of nuclear power plants is one of China's important policies regarding energy development.

Statistics show that China's nuclear power plants currently have a combined installed capacity of 9 million kw, only 1.3 per cent of the country's total power installed capacity. In 2007, the amount of power generated by nuclear power plants was 1.9 per cent of the total amount of power generated, lower than the world average. In accordance with China's Medium-and Long-term Plan for the Development of Nuclear Power Plants, the country will expand the installed capacity of nuclear power, making it to reach 40 million kw or four per cent of the national total power installed capacity by 2020.

Zhang Guobao said: In order to accelerate the construction of nuclear power plants, China is planning to adjust its Medium-and Long-term Plan for the Development of Nuclear Power Plants. He said that China will "accelerate the development of nuclear power plants in the coastal areas. It will plan in a scientific manner for the development of nuclear power plants in the inland areas. China will strive to increase its total nuclear power installed capacity, making it reach more than five per cent of the country's total power installed capacity."

Meanwhile, he said that we should see that during the course of promoting the construction of nuclear power plants, China is also faced with a number of restraining factors. The greatest challenge is to manufacture nuclear power equipment on our own effort. In addition, China should be equipped with an ability to make continuous improvement, thus achieving the goal of large-scale development of standardized nuclear power plants.

Zhang Guobao emphatically said: In terms of the independent production of nuclear power equipment and the construction of nuclear power plants, forge pieces for nuclear reactors are important and basic articles. The capability to produce forge pieces for nuclear reactors is the priority of priorities in China's effort to develop its nuclear power industry independently. The peak period of China's nuclear power development will be in the next 10 to 20 years. It is necessary to enhance as soon as possible the level of China's forging technology and production capability, which will serve to promote our domestic economic development and actively expand our international market. Therefore, great efforts should be made to turn China into a major supplier of large-sized forging pieces in the world.

Originally published by Xinhua news agency domestic service, Beijing, in Chinese 1134 1 Aug 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Story Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific