China signed Framework Agreement with Belgium in MOX-fuel production

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AtomInfo.Ru, PUBLISHED October 07, 2010

Several Belgian companies and organizations - including Tractebel Engineering, the subsidiary of the French giant GDF Suez - signed a memorandum on cooperation with the Chinese nuclear agency in the production of MOX-fuel.

"China has started a large scale nuclear equipment programme that foresees the construction of 40 to 60 nuclear power plants by 2030. The country has also the intention to close the nuclear fuel cycle. In this context, the state company China National Nuclear Corporation wants to build a pilot installation for MOX fuel fabrication in China, with the support of the Belgian companies Belgonucleaire (BN), the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK-CEN) and Tractebel Engineering (TE)", it said in a press release distributed by SCK-CEN.

Framework Agreement was signed on October 6, 2010 in presence of the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and the Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme. It deals with building a demonstration plant for the fabrication of MOX-fuel in China and the use of MOX-fuel in Chinese reactors.

"This Framework Agreement can lead within a relatively short term to a commercial agreement including technology transfer and technical assistance by the Belgian partners", said the press-release.

The text of the common document does not specify for what kind of reactors the MOX-fuel will be produced. However, the Belgians are reminded that they have the commercial experience of using mixed fuel in light water reactors, as well as participated in 1968-1990 in fast reactor projects.

In the first comments made in the French press, it has been noted that the AREVA group has long talks with China on cooperation in the MOX-fuel for thermal and fast reactors. Signing the agreement between China and Belgium, which involved the corporation "GDF Suez", will create additional pressure on the AREVA and may lead to increased competition between owners of fuel technology.

Topics: NFC, MOX-fuel, Europe, China

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