이란, 중국과 새 원전 건설 협의 Iran Seeks China's Help to Build New Nuke Plants
edited by kcontents
케이콘텐츠 편집
이란이 핵협상을 잠정 타결한 후 중국과 손을 잡고 원자력 발전소 건설에 본격적으로 나설 것으로 전해졌다. 베흐루즈 카말반디 이란 원자력청(AEOI) 대변인은 "중국과 5개의 원전 건설프로젝트를 협의할 것"이라 밝혔다고 중국 중화왕이 전했다. 카말반디 대변인은 또 "러시아와 계약해 건설 중인 부셰르 원전같은 발전소가 5개는 더 필요하다"며 "중국도 러시아와 마찬가지로 곧 원전 건설 분야에서 협력자 관계가 될 것"이라고 설명했다. 러시아가 이란을 도와 부셰르에 건설한 원전은 1000㎿ 발전 용량으로, 지난 2013년 9월 완성돼 가동 중이다. 아울러 러시아는 이란과 계약을 체결, 지난해 11월 부셰르 원전에 2기의 원자로와 다른 지역에 있는 원전에 4기의 원자로를 건설할 예정이다. 한편 중국은 서방의 대(對)이란 경제 제재 속에서도 협력 체제를 유지해 왔고 핵협상 과정에서도 러시아와 함께 이란에 우호적이었기 때문에 이번 프로젝트가 중국에 많은 이익을 안겨줄것으로 전망되고 있다. 이란은 중국과의 각별한 친분을 강조하면서 "어려운 시절 중국이 곁에 있었기 때문에 일부 원유 개발 사업에 우선권을 줄 수도 있다"고 시사한 바 있다. 전기신문 김승교 기자 (kimsk@electimes.com) |
New nuke plants major concern for critics of diplomacy
with Islamic Republic
William Ide April 22, 2015 11:02 AM BEIJING— The framework nuclear deal between Iran and global powers has opened up new investment possibilities in an economy that has been stunted by international sanctions. Last week, a top Iranian atomic energy official said in addition to Russia, China will also help it build additional nuclear power plants. China has not commented on the proposal, but Iran says Beijing could help it build at least three nuclear plants in the coastal city Bushehr.
The city is home to Iran’s first nuclear plant, the construction of which began four decades ago.
Germany started work there in the 1970s, but that effort was halted during Iran’s Islamic Revolution. After that, Russia took over in the 1990s, but it was not until 2013 the plant was operating at full capacity.
Oil-rich Iran says it needs nuclear power to meet its energy needs. Uranium fuels nuclear reactors, but can also be used to make nuclear bombs. Iran and world powers are seeking to reach final agreement on a deal by late June.
Chinese expertise China Center for Energy Economic Research at Xiamen University Director Lin Boqiang says China is well positioned to be a key player in Iran’s nuclear energy program.
Lin says, “China has great strength when it comes to the construction of power plants, given that most of the new plants being built in the world today are in China.” He says “the export of nuclear energy is also something that is essential to the transitioning of the Chinese economy.”
Late last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time approved a Chinese-designed reactor, giving it the green light for domestic production as well as exports.
Last week, the Chinese government approved the construction of the country’s first third-generation nuclear reactor, the Hualong One.
China is trying to build up its own brand of reactors, says Matthew Cottee, a research analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Program.
“The Hualong One is currently being built in China, but it is going to take a while for the international community to have some trust in a new nuclear reactor that has not been built anywhere else,” he said.
Analysts say that first reactor could take six to eight years to build, but China is already exporting the technology abroad.
Chinese media say a power station under development in Karachi, Pakistan could be the first Hualong One built outside China, and Argentina also has agreed on a deal to build one in the South American country. Beijing also has a bilateral deal with Romania and a potential deal with Turkey.
Possible joint ventures If China carries through on building reactors in Iran, it could partner with another foreign country to mitigate the political risk of such a sensitive project.
“Whether China will be the only country in such a cooperation or whether the Chinese involvement in such nuclear power construction will be in kind of a like a consortium, such as a French company for example, is not yet clear,” said Victor Gao, director of the China National Association of International Studies.
China is already eyeing multi-nation deals to help it break into lucrative foreign markets that could be wary of partnering solely with Beijing.
Analyst Matthew Cottee points to a nuclear power project in Britain that may use Chinese financial backing and French designs.
“If the reactor is built at Hinckley Point in Somerset in the U.K. that will be potentially involving some Chinese funding. But if you look at the memorandum of understanding between the U.K. and China, it kind of paves the way for a potential Chinese indigenous technology to actually be constructed in the U.K.,” said Cottee.
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama proposed a 30-year agreement to cooperate with China on nuclear power. If approved by the U.S. Congress, the deal would allow the transfer of material, reactors, components and technology between the two countries. http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-seeks-china-help-to-build-new-nuclear-plants/2730146.html |
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