Taishan plans nuclear-powered growth

With plant under construction, city eyes equipment boom

With a large third-generation nuclear power project under construction, Taishan in south China's Guangdong province plans to develop an equipment manufacturing industry driven by nuclear energy.

The city's most recent moves in the nuclear energy market include establishment of an industrial park for clean energy and nuclear power equipment.

The Taishan Clean Energy (Nuclear Power) Equipment Industrial Park that opened in February is expected to become one of the nation's centers for nuclear power equipment manufacturing, initially supplying hardware and services to nearby nuclear power projects.

According to Liu Shaolin, director of the industrial park's administrative committee, the planned development will cover about 45 sq km and include design, R&D and technical services. The park entered the list of Guangdong's key projects in April.

The initial 3.1-sq km phase of the park will be followed by second 2.4- sq km phase. The initial phase will cost about 2 billion yuan.

"The park is expected to take shape with a large number of renowned projects in operation and an R&D team in place by 2012," Liu said, adding that the park is expected to meet 20 percent of market needs in Guangdong and have an industrial output worth more than 3 billion yuan by 2012.

Targets call for manufacturers at the park to have 45 percent of the nuclear equipment market in Guangdong and produce goods worth 22 billion yuan by 2020 while playing a leading role in R&D and maintenance of nuclear power equipment.

The park also plans to produce 20 billion yuan in goods unrelated to the power industry by 2020.

Favorable conditions

During a promotional campaign in Switzerland earlier this year, Xie Boxin, mayor of Taishan, said the city has unique conditions for development of the nuclear power equipment industry and offers investors ready markets both in the province and across the nation.

Advantages he cited include Taishan's location, well-developed transport infrastructure, rich human resources, preferential policies and the market potential following completion of China's most-expensive nuclear power facility nearby.

Located in the southwest of the Pearl River Delta region, the park has easy access to other delta cities including Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao by land or by sea.

A long coastline and dozens of islands provide the city with a group of good harbors and excellent ecological environment.

"Investors will also benefit from the preferential policies ranging from competitive land use and power costs, simplified administrative procedures, tax incentives and financial support," Xie said.

According to the mayor, several European enterprises - including Vanatome, Reel SA, Emerson, Tyco, Halfen and AEG Power Solutions - have shown interest in investing in Taishan and have promised to pay a visit to the city for further investment evaluation.

And a delegation of 40 French nuclear power equipment suppliers, organized by L'Association Partenariat France Chine Electricit, or France-China Electricity Partnership, will visit Taishan tomorrow to evaluate the investment environment.

(China Daily 06/09/2010 page15)