This week, representatives of Atomstroiexport, the Russian nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly that is implementing the Tianwan project, met with the Chinese partners at the nuclear power plant to discuss routine construction issues and the commissioning of the No. 2 unit.

It took almost 10 years to complete the Tianwan NPP, whose first generating unit features twin reactors with a joint infrastructure. It was completed in June and was used to streamline various engineering solutions. The reactor has been operating for almost a month now.

Although both reactors provide a $2 million daily economic effect, the Chinese side is reluctant to sign the relevant acceptance statement because it has some misgivings about nuclear-safety issues.

Before leaving for Beijing, Alexander Nechayev, director of Atomstroiexport's department in charge of building the Chinese NPP, told RIA Novosti that his company would try to persuade China to sign the acceptance statement.

Bilateral cooperation faced some problems because Beijing, a fault-finding partner, is closely monitoring the Tianwan project. "Nevertheless, the positive results of our cooperation prove that both partners have profited from it. We believe that Moscow has built the best NPP in the world," Nechayev told RIA Novosti.

An upgraded version of the VVER-1000/428 water-cooled and water-moderated reactor, which was developed especially for the Tianwan NPP, features better neutron-physics specifications, multi-channel safety systems and other technological marvels.

More than 150 Russian companies were involved in the unique Tianwan project. The Atomenergoproject R&D Institute in St. Petersburg designed the NPP and the world-famous Kurchatov Institute acted as academic supervisor.

The Gidropress design bureau in Orenburg in the Volga Region developed the reactor, and engineering giants Izhorskiye Zavody -- Izhora Plants -- and Silovye Mashiny -- Power Machines -- in St. Petersburg manufactured all other equipment.

Silovye Mashiny contributed the turbines, which are 150 percent "faster" than similar units with the same capacity. The double-walled reactor building features an airtight compartment ruling out radiation leaks and ensures adequate protecting against external factors.

The Tianwan NPP has a special trap featuring unique engineering solutions that can cool down the reactor core in case of an accident. The trap has been certified by Russian and Chinese watchdog agencies and approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Russian experts said major accidents could happen only once in every 100,000 years. According to Nechayev, the reactor, which has a service life of 40 years, can operate even longer. He said Finland had recently extended the service life of the Soviet-made Lovisa NPP, which was built 30 years ago, to 50 years, and that the Tianwan NPP could operate as long.

China, an emerging global powerhouse, has received a major source of energy. The Tianwan NPP is the first ambitious nuclear project to be implemented by Moscow in the past 20 years.

The Russian nuclear industry, which can effectively cooperate with foreign partners and successfully compete on the global market, will now be able to offer new standard reactors to other partners.

Moscow eventually fulfilled all Chinese requirements and heeded the specifics of national management and mentality, and hopes to build four more reactors in Tianwan, provided that Beijing agrees to level several mountains hindering the project's implementation.

(Tatyana Sinitsyna is a commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

-- (United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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