Cheney to Promote American-Made Nuclear Reactors to China

Associated Press ^ | Apr. 9, 2004 | H. Josef Hebert

[oceanagirl]

WASHINGTON (AP) - On a trip to China next week to talk about high-stakes issues like terrorism and North Korea, Vice President Dick Cheney will have another task - making a pitch for Westinghouse's U.S. nuclear power technology.

At stake could be billions of dollars in business in coming years and thousands of American jobs. The initial installment of four reactors, costing $1.5 billion apiece, would also help narrow the huge U.S. trade deficit with China.

* * *

"This pitch could not be more poorly times," Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, told a hearing of the House International Relations Committee recently.

Citing recent Chinese plans to help Pakistan build two large reactors that are capable of producing plutonium, he said it is not the time for China to be rewarded with new reactor technology. U.S. officials said the Chinese have given adequate assurances that such sales will not pose a proliferation risk.

* * *

"The opportunity is not just in selling the Chinese a number of reactors, but engaging them for a longer term in a strategic partnership," says Ron Simard, who deals with future plant development at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry trade group. That could mean future construction contracts as well as plant service business.

[oceanagirl]

Can anyone here confirm or deny this?

[Alter Kaker]

This is very stupid idea. Nuclear technology to China?

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[oceanagirl]

Well, I'm not very comfortable with this, if true. Surely, there must be some explantion.

[glorgau]

"This pitch could not be more poorly times," Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, told a hearing of the House International Relations Committee recently.

No time is good for these people.

Actually, this would be a good idea. It will help preserve the skills needed for nuclear plant construction in this country.

[Alter Kaker]

Actually, this would be a good idea. It will help preserve the skills needed for nuclear plant construction in this country.

Kim Jong Il and Ayatollah Khamanei also would like Westinghouse reactor. If they pay US dollars, they can employ many Americans too and preserve your skills. Brilliance!

[RightWhale]

Nuclear technology to China?

It's probably too little, too late, but the peak easy oil problem cound be reduced somewhat this way.

[oceanagirl]

Yes, I understand the jobs issue. However, I suspect that it won't be too long before the Chinese reverse engineer one of these and then sell a cheap copy to some unsavory dictator in an oil province or the like. There would go the jobs and there would be the proliferation.

[MegaSilver]

Citing recent Chinese plans to help Pakistan build two large reactors that are capable of producing plutonium, he said it is not the time for China to be rewarded with new reactor technology.

Until the Communist Party falls, it will NEVER be time.

[corkoman]

the Chinese have more nuke weapons than they'll ever need - they DONT have nuke powere generation technolgy. So I say great - here is an American product that does 2 big things:

1 - profits for Americans

2 - the more nuke electrical plants in China the less oil they will use. This softend their booming economy from eating all the oil making it more expensive. Our economy is assisted greatly from cheaper oil.

So get as many nuke Elec plants in China as possible.

[oceanagirl]

It's probably too little, too late, but the peak easy oil problem could be reduced somewhat this way.

Yes, I'm concerned about peak oil as well, but this makes me a little queasy.

[RightWhale]

China happens to be very advanced in nuclear tech. If they would buy some of our power plant product it is only because it would be better somehow, perhaps cheaper, believe it or not, not because they couldn't do it themselves.

[GeekDejure]

Well, I'm not very comfortable with this, if true. Surely, there must be some explantion.

Ummm.... how do you spell "NUTS" !!! ???

.

[spetznaz]

Actually, this would be a good idea. It will help preserve the skills needed for nuclear plant construction in this country.

Would you be saying that if it was Clinton's VP who went to China with this sale plan? Just wondering.

[oceanagirl]

Right whale, from what I've read about China's reputation for protecting intellectual property and its propensity for reverse engineering (ask GM about this, in particular), I believe that at least one of these plants will not see much actual operation, but instead will be ripped apart and copied. I don't think that we can count on selling more than a handful of them, and if their copies are good and cheap, we won't be selling as many of the original Westinghouses to any country that is not willing to enforce U.S. patents, copyrights, etc.

[XHogPilot]

This is very stupid idea. Nuclear technology to China?

Sorry to tell you, but that horse left the barn years ago.

Google search: China "nuclear reactor"

[GraniteStateConservative]

Hey, Dick. You're no Goldwater.

[kenth]

Well, they need more efficient nuclear technology to match the ballistic missile technology we gave them a few years ago. Heh... the upside is that it should work to quell dissent over the need for ABM technology while providing jobs in the defense sector.

[RightWhale]

Probably what we have in these plants are some specialty materials, some special steel alloys, and some control systems that could be copied, no doubt, but at great expense and reduced reliability. Even the fuel itself might be a custom mix and in a form that could be copied if their uranium plants had the specialized machinery. They could do this now. That they would buy nuclear plants means that we are winning in the marketplace. Our tech lead isn't so great anymore, and in many areas it is long gone. From now on we're going to have to work hard to stay competitive.