Engineering and construction company Chicago Bridge & Iron has signed an agreement with China’s CPI Power Engineering Company, Ltd., to form a joint venture to build further nuclear power plants in China.
CB&I, which acquired The Shaw Group last year (2012), is currently involved in the construction of four AP1000s in China at Sanmen and Haiyang. It is providing engineering, procurement, commissioning, information management system and project management services for those projects.
The new agreement with CPI includes the provision of engineering, procurement, construction management, commissioning, project management and technical support services for new nuclear power plants planned and invested by CPI in China, the company said in a statement 1 October.
CPI is one of the largest state-owned power generation companies and one of the three nuclear power plant owners and operators in China. The company has a stake in the Haiyang AP1000 reactors and a 45% stake in Hongyanhe 1-4 in Laioning province.
CB&I said that China’s State Council is expected to approve the construction of some 30 nuclear power plants by 2020 to meet the nuclear capacity levels set out under mid- and long-term development plans. CPI’s plans include a further two AP1000s at Haiyang, plus two more at Bailong in Guangxi, as well as units 5&6 at Hongyanhe. Construction on the Haiyang 3&4 AP1000s is expected to begin in 2013, according to Westinghouse.
CPI Executive Yu Jianfeng said: "CPI regards its strategic cooperation with CB&I on nuclear power plant projects as very important for CPI. This forthcoming joint venture company will further grow our mutually beneficial relationship and deepen our strategic cooperation with CB&I. Most importantly, it will contribute to China’s mid-to-long term nuclear power development."
Photo: CPI has a 45% stake in the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant, where unit 1 started commercial operation in June 2013 (Source: L-3 MAPPS)