From WNN:
Construction of the Sanmen nuclear power plant has reached a milestone with the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor.
China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) has a major role in the transfer of knowledge and technology from the plant supplier, Westinghouse, while building the world's first AP1000 units. SNPTC announced yesterday's successful lift, noting the role of the vessel as the heart of the power plant as well as its vital safety significance over a design life of 60 years.
So, what does this mean?
China has 4 AP1000's under construction now, on schedule and, I believe, at budget. They have already approved and financed another 21 of these units. Apparently all the inland plants the PRC is setting up to build with be this model, as opposed to the Gen II+CRP1000s which have come under some international criticism, which is aimed at the Chinese paradigm of using all indigenous designed plants as much as possible even if the are "older" technology. The CPR100s are being built at coastal locations. Also about 50 of these units approved and financed.
The Chinese are developing a "ACPR-1000" which IS a Gen III reactor but only for export. Odd, that.
While all this is goes to damping down CO2 output, afterall, every nuke plant, especially in China, is a coal plant not built, the real issue, despite the 'misleading' title of this Diary I used, is what is being done to slow down coal power plant construction? This is the 1.2 billion-person question and effects the rest of the 5.8 billion people on the planet.
We know the Chinese are building, researching, funding and otherwise deploying every form of non-carbon energy generation known to humanity, but will it be enough?