China's new nuke reactors expected to begin operations from 2013

Beijing, Jan 15(ANI): China's first AP1000 nuclear power reactor is expected to begin operations by 2013.

A State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation official Wang Binghua expressed confidence to bring the No.1 Unit of the Sanmen Nuclear Power Project in China's east Zhejiang Province into operation in 2013.e said construction progress of Chinese third-generation nuclear reactors is generally "under control".

China began constructing its first third-generation pressurized water reactors in 2009, but the progress was delayed by six months due to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Binghua pointed out that designers of the project have strengthened safety evaluation after the Japanese crisis.

"Both the SNPTC and Westinghouse has agreed that the new reactors are able to survive the same shock experienced by the Japanese plant," he said.

According to Binghua, 55 percent of the four reactor units under construction use domestic equipment and added that he expects the fifth unit to be a total domestic product.(ANI)