Under the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting Plus Three (AMEM+3) and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Energy Plus Three (SOME+3) Work Programme, the 2^nd ASEAN-China Capacity Building on Civilian Nuclear Energy was co-organised by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), supported by the National Energy Administration of China, on 21-28 November 2016 in Shenzhen City (for lectures) and Guangdong Province (for site visits).  This programme is the continuation of the 1st ASEAN – China Capacity Building on Civilian Nuclear Energy. The 1st Capacity Building was also co-organised by ACE and CGN in China in June 2015.  This 2nd Capacity Building focused on nuclear power technical training with the objective to share CGN’s experience in developing nuclear energy.  The activity was attended by 22 participants from 8 (eight) ASEAN Member States (AMS):  Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.  ACE representatives were also present in the event.

The knowledge-sharing topics were as follows: a) Preliminary Feasibility Study; b) Grid Analysis; c) Public acceptance and communication; d) Technology selection; e) Licensing Process; f) Laws & Regulations for NPP in China; g) Fuel Supply Solution; and h) Nuclear Waste Management.  All participants learned the process of developing nuclear power plants (NPP) from zero until they fully operate.  CGN shared how to solve the problematic starting points of NPP development.

China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. Credit: ACE

During the programme, the participants had the opportunities to visit the following sites:

• Beilong Disposal Facility near Daya Bay NPP.
• Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited in Nansha, is the manufacturing facility for NPP’s heavy equipment.
• Yangjiang NPP, which is currently the largest NPP in the world under construction, with a capacity of 6 x 1000 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR is one of the NPP designs being used in nuclear industry).
• Thaisan NPP, is the location of a current Evolutionary Power Reactor (third generation PWR) under construction.

Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. Credit: ACE

Dongfang Electric Corporation. Credit: CGN

(RH, ADP, AJ. Featured photo credit:  CGN)