News

DATE=12/29/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-224578

TITLE=CHINA / RUSSIA / L-O

BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO

DATELINE=BEIJING

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  CHINA AND RUSSIA HAVE SIGNED A DEAL TO BUILD A 

THREE-BILLION-DOLLAR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN THE EASTERN CHINESE 

PROVINCE, JIANGSU.  V-O-A'S STEPHANIE HO REPORTS RUSSIA WOULD 

SUPPLY TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS TO THE PLANT, WHICH IS REPORTED TO BE

THE LARGEST PROJECT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN RECENT YEARS.



TEXT:  CHINESE PREMIER LI PENG AND VICE-PREMIER LI LANQING 

ATTENDED THE SIGNING CEREMONY IN BEIJING MONDAY, WITH VISITING 

RUSSIAN FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BORIS NEMTSOV.



THE AGREEMENT CALLS FOR JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR POWER 

PLANT IN THE EASTERN CHINESE PORT CITY, LIANYUNGANG.



CHINA'S OFFICIAL XINHUA NEWS AGENCY SAYS, UNDER THE CONTRACT, THE

CONCRETE POURING FOR THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN JUNE, 1999.  THE 

REACTORS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE PUT INTO OPERATION BY 2005.



XINHUA SAYS THE POWER PLANT WILL HAVE A COMBINED GENERATING 

CAPACITY OF TWO THOUSAND MEGAWATTS.



A RUSSIAN EMBASSY SPOKESMAN SAYS THE FIRST STAGE WILL COST MORE 

THAN TWO BILLION DOLLARS.  THE ENTIRE PROJECT WILL BE MORE THAN 

THREE BILLION DOLLARS.



CHINA ALREADY HAS TWO OPERATING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS -- ONE IN 

DAYA BAY, NEAR HONG KONG, AND THE OTHER IN QINSHAN IN THE EASTERN

PROVINCE, ZHEJIANG.



OFFICIAL MEDIA HAVE REPORTED CHINA PLANS TO BUILD FOUR NUCLEAR 

POWER PLANTS IN THE COASTAL REGIONS, WHICH NEED THE ENERGY BUT 

HAVE FEW NATURAL RESOURCES.  STATE-RUN MEDIA SAY CHINA WILL 

CHOOSE MORE NUCLEAR POWER SUPPLIERS AFTER THE YEAR 2000.



CANADA AND FRANCE HAVE DEALS TO PROVIDE FINANCING AND TECHNOLOGY 

FOR CHINA'S FLEDGLING NUCLEAR INDUSTRY, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ONE 

PERCENT OF THE THE COUNTRY'S ENERGY GENERATION.



U-S NUCLEAR POWER SUPPLIERS ARE ALSO EAGER TO SELL NUCLEAR 

REACTORS TO CHINA.  PRESIDENT CLINTON AUTHORIZED SUCH SALES AT A 

RECENT SUMMIT MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN IN 

WASHINGTON.  (SIGNED)



NEB / HO / WD / WD



29-Dec-97 7:01 AM EST (1201 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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