Difficulties in the qualification of nuclear power plants to break through nuclear safety are the primary considerations

Recently, news from the National Energy Administration said that the “Regulations on the Management of Nuclear Power” currently under development is expected to be submitted to the State Council by the end of this year. The main contents of the Regulations concern the planning and construction of nuclear power plants in China, the rights and obligations of all parties involved in nuclear power development, and the operation and supervision of nuclear power plants. Nuclear power related construction and technical standards. However, the liberalization of the qualifications of owners of nuclear power holdings that are widely expected in the industry may be lost in the regulations.

Zhou Xiujie, a researcher in the energy industry at China Investment Advisors, pointed out that China has stepped into the fast lane of nuclear power construction. In order to standardize China's nuclear power construction and promote the healthy development of nuclear power, the "Regulations on Nuclear Power Management" is very necessary. The “Regulations on Nuclear Power Management” is a need for the development of China’s nuclear power business, and vice versa will also promote the development of China’s nuclear power business. The standardized management of nuclear power development reflects the nuclear cultural connotation of nuclear power in China with “safety” as the core.

Previously, the industry generally hoped to open up the qualifications of owners of nuclear power plants and allow more power generation companies to participate in the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. It hopes to be reflected in the “Regulations on Nuclear Power Management”. However, from the main contents of the "Regulations on Nuclear Power Management," which include the rights and obligations of nuclear power development parties, nuclear power plant operation supervision, nuclear power construction related technical standards, etc. Zhou Xiujie believes that these contents are missing, it is the owners of nuclear power Qualification is difficult to open the series of factors.

The foundation of China's nuclear power plant construction is safety. It is not only to ensure safety in the construction of nuclear power plants, but also to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants during operation. Safety has become the core content of China's nuclear culture. As a result, China’s nuclear power plants have been able to maintain an excellent record of safety-free accidents for more than two decades from completion and operation. The introduction of all policy measures and management systems in China’s nuclear power development must also be based on “security”. However, at present, there are many kinds of nuclear technologies coexisting in the nuclear power plants that have been built in China, including not only its own technologies, but also technologies imported from the United States, France, Canada, and other countries. These nuclear technology systems, reactors, and standards The process is different. The inconsistency in the technical standards for nuclear power plant construction in various nuclear power companies undoubtedly increases the risk of insecurity.

At the same time, due to the unconformity of nuclear power technology standards, it has brought difficulties to nuclear power safety supervision. There are as many as eight nuclear power safety regulatory agencies in China, with many links and decentralization, and the efficiency of nuclear power management is low. At the same time, the strength and level of China's nuclear power safety supervision are also limited, and nuclear power safety supervision is insufficient. Under such circumstances, if we open up the qualifications of nuclear power plant owners, the nuclear power safety supervision work in China will face greater challenges.

Zhang Haolin, research director of China Investment Consulting Group, believes that under the premise of nuclear safety, it will be difficult to achieve substantive breakthroughs in the opening up of short-term core electric power holding owners' qualifications, especially when various nuclear power management systems and laws and regulations are still not perfect. Next, the state will be cautious about the opening of qualifications for owners of nuclear power holdings.

The “2010-2015 China Nuclear Power Industry Investment Analysis and Prospect Forecast Report” released by China Investment Advisors pointed out that in order to meet the needs of China's social and economic development of electricity, promote the rapid development of China's nuclear power business, solve the nuclear power construction and quickly promote the huge amount of funds. Demand, in the case that the qualification of owners of nuclear power holdings is difficult to open, it may consider opening up nuclear power companies with equity participation, attracting more companies to participate in the construction of nuclear power projects, and focusing on solving the financing difficulties in China's nuclear power construction.