A Westinghouse executive has said the Pennsylvania-based company is in negotiations to build an additional eight AP1000 reactors in China for an estimated $24 billion.
Timothy Collier told Reuters the plants will be located at Sanmen, Haiyang and two other locations. The first contract could be signed as early as next year. Westinghouse, which is majority-owned by Toshiba, is in an earlier stage of negotiations with Chinese power companies for four additional units at Xudapu and Lufeng.
Even following a temporary slowdown to revamp safety regulations following the Fukushima Daiichi accidents in Japan, China has the most robust nuclear construction program in the world. State-controlled China Daily reported Monday that the country will approve construction of 8.6 gigawatts of new nuclear generation this year, following the approval of 2.1 gigawatts last year. According to the World Nuclear Association, 28 units are currently under construction. In addition to Westinghouse's Generation III pressurized water reactor, Chinese companies are also adding units with indigenous designs and designs from Areva and Rosatom.