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A design sketch of a floating nuclear power platform. [Photo: sina.com] |
China plans to accelerate the development of afloating nuclear power platform in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, according to Wang Yiren, vice director of State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Wang told Science and Technology Daily that Chinese authorities have already included the building of a marine nuclear power station into the government’s 13th Five-Year Plan, in an effort to promote ocean oil and gas exploitation and other offshore projects.
Wang said that to become a strong maritime power, exploitation of ocean resources is very significant. However, as the main power source for China’s current offshore operation, diesel generators are both inefficient and harmful to the ocean environment; developing a maritime nuclear power station may solve such problems.
After a range of research and evidence, experts on atomic energy decided to modify the related building schemes based on proven technologies. Wang informed that the small reactors used on land would be applied at sea after necessary improvements have been made.
Currently, China has carried out standard research and begun to tackle key technical problems of building afloating nuclear power platform, including overall design, safety techniques, key equipment tests, and maintenance technology.
The country is doing its own research on the project, as well as seeking cooperation with Russia to hasten the process, Wang said.
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