China will be providing technical support to the US for the first time, in order to build a third generation nuclear plant. On October 26, 2012 the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp Ltd said that it had signed a technical support service contract with the Shaw Power Group, related to the building of the Vogtle AP1000 project in Georgia.
It is the first nuclear reactor, which has been approved by the US government in nearly 30 years. In terms of support, China will be sending some Chinese employees for the project to the US over the next four years, The first batch of people is expected to include planners and electrical engineers as well, among others.
All the employees that will be sent would have been experienced in building AP1000 projects, which are commonly known as third generation reactors. The first engineers from China to the US will share knowledge leaned in China, and will also gain experience in the inner-workings of a project based outside the country. The Shaw Group and Westinghouse Co will be jointly responsible for the design, supply and technical support in building reactors number 3 and 4 at Vogtle, which were approved in the month of February.
The new reactors are also the first in the world which have been approved since the Fukushima nuclear crisis in Japan last year.
