Regarding cost estimates for the AP-1000's being built in China

[bananas]

In the past, some pro-nukes didn't believe me when I said that China had licensed the AP-1000 technology from Japan and would build their own versions of it, also building them in other countries. I've also pointed out that the techology licensing terms are among the many items not reflected in the publicly available cost estimates for the first AP-1000's now being built in China, and that those cost estimates should be taken with a large grain of salt. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but China requires every foreign company to also sell them a technology license, and negotiations between France and China over licensing terms apparently delayed the sale of EPR's.

Well, here we go - China is now going to start building their own versions of the AP-1000 reactor, just as I said.

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_Preparations_for_six_AP1000s_1111092.html

Chinese planners are moving ahead with three new nuclear power plants based on AP1000 reactors - the first to be developed after technology transfer from Westinghouse.

The US-based reactor vendor is already constructing pairs of AP1000 reactors in China with its partner Shaw at Sanmen and Haiyang, but these new units are to be the first built independently after the technology transfer that was part of Westinghouse's contract. They are also China's first nuclear power plants not located on the coast.

There are obvious dangers here about quality control. In the recent past few years, we've seen Chinese pet food and human infant formula contaminated with melamine and distributed worldwide, and we recently saw safety reports falsified in the US at Davis-Besse.

[jpak]

1. I bet they use Pb-based exterior finish to paint them

:evilgrin:

[bananas]

3. Stupid anti-lead fundies!!!

NOT ONE NOT ONE NOT ONE person has ever been killed from lead!

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[bananas]

6. Aha! You probably ate lead paint chips when you were a kid!

That could explain a lot!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

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[bananas]

9. You mean, "Why should China be beholden to Japan"

The AP-1000 belongs to Toshiba, a Japanese company.

[jpak]

10. Correction - in the US, nuclear science is sodomized by internet wackos

who claim they invent molten salt breeder reactors in their mommies basements.

:rofl:

[jpak]

11. "The Indian Heavy Water Reactor program is now superior to the Canadian program"

because India uses them to produce plutonium for bombs - is this why it is superior?

:rofl:

[bananas]

12. So your saying the Japanese are racist against Asians?

The AP-1000 is owned by Toshiba, a Japanese company.
Or perhaps you're saying the Chinese are racist against Asians?
Perhaps you are just confused.
For example, "Moslems" refers to a religion, not a race.
You are confused about a lot of things, NNadir.

[Nederland]

7. This is interesting

I think China is basically going through the same type of development the US did. Initial emphasis was all on industrial output and to hell with the environment. Now you see the stirrings of an environmental movement there as people get incredible pissed off at all the pollution produced by unchecked industrial growth. Demand for electricity in China is soaring, and the cheapest way to satisfy that demand is by building lots of coal plants. For the most part, that is precisely what they are doing. However, the fact that the Chinese government is diverting some money to nuclear and renewables indicates that they believe they might need to bend to public pressure and build fewer coal plants in the future. They want to have options.

Whether or not the Chinese environmental movement goes the way of western environmentalist movements with regard to nuclear power remains to be seen. If they do, the Chinese government investment in nuclear may turn out to be a waste of money.

[bananas]

8. <self-delete>

[bhikkhu]

13. I would think water would be the big limiter

but from the article:

"China has quickly set up specialised nuclear facilities to produce the very large modules - effectively creating a production line for nuclear power plants"

Interesting.