The Chinese nuclear industry participation in the emerging market

Last year in Paris, the world reached an agreement on reducing the carbon emission and preventing climate change. The <COP21> was signed which set each country a respective target. As Dr Jan Horst Keppler from the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency said during the 4th edition of Asia Nuclear Business Platform (ANBP), nuclear energy is the only low carbon-emission resources that can be scaled so far.  Thus, nuclear energy is seen as an alternative option to optimize the energy structure by more and more countries especially those developing economies.

Panel for Nuclear Emerging Countries at ANBP2016

China, used to be a newcomer in the nuclear industry, today it is undergoing the "One Belt One Road" Initiatives and "Going out" strategy, pushing the export of its nuclear product.  Being active on the global stage, there is no reason that China could miss the newcomer's market.

For the majority of the developing countries, there are two major barriers to establishing the nuclear industry. One is the technique barrier, and another is the financing barrier.

Since 2014, as part of the "One Belt One Road" Initiative, China has taken the responsibility to help those countries overcome the difficulties of developing a nuclear industry.

China signed a MOU with Kenya in 2015. The objective of the MOU is for China to help educate Kenyan nuclear experts to prepare the future nuclear project in Kenya.

The role is taken by China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN). CGN will enable Kenya to obtain expertise from China by way of training and skills development, technical support in areas such as site selection for Kenya's nuclear power plants and feasibility studies including safety analysis and environmental impact assessment. The work has progress well thus far. During ANBP2016, Collins Juma, CEO of Kenya Nuclear Energy Board, gave positive comments on the bilateral cooperation with China, and he admitted that presently the main task for Kenya is to learn and accumulate.  

A Delegation from Brazil, Kenya, and South Africa Visited SNPTC for the Latest Technology

To solve the financial problems of the nuclear newcomers, Chinese nuclear companies always act both as the supplier and the investor. For example, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) took a loan from Industry Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to finance its project in Argentina.

Last month, Nur Bekri, the Minister of National Energy Administration, together with the President of CNNC Sun Qin visited Sudan, one of the most undeveloped countries in the world. Sun Qin and the Sudanese Minister of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity, Mutaz Musa signed the contract that China will build the first nuclear power plant in Sudan to encourage the local economy.

China and Sudan Signed MoU on the Nuclear Industry

Newcomers bring new blood in the global nuclear market and the market couldn't be expanded without these emerging countries. With China's support on the technology and financing, more and more countries will benefit from the nuclear industry and the carbon emission of the world will be controlled.