First concrete has been poured for the first unit of the Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong province, being built by Shangdong Nuclear Power Company (a subsidiary of China Power Investment Corp). This is the second plant using Westinghouse AP1000 new-generation reactors. The first two Haiyang units are expected to commence operation in 2014 and 2015. The site will eventually have six units, and in March the National Development & Reform Commission approved preliminary works for units 3 and 4.
The Oskarshamn-3 reactor operated by OKG has been cleared for test operation by the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) following a 250 MWe uprate to 1450 MWe net. Initial approval was given in 2005 and OKG has since spent Eur313 million ($455 million) on the reactor upgrade and turbine upgrade (by Alstom). This is expected to extend the plant life to 60 years, to 2045.
India's cabinet has confirmed two coastal sites being reserved for nuclear power parks of up to eight US-origin reactors each: Mithi Virdi in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat state, and Kovada in Andhra Pradesh. These complement Jaitapur in Maharashtra state reserved for six French EPR units and Haripur in West Bengal, for up to eight Russian VVER units. Earlier in the week the Indian PM had said that the country could have 470 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050 if it thinks big and manages its three-stage thorium cycle program correctly. "This will sharply reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and will be a major contribution to global efforts to combat climate change."
