Beijing: China is planning to build a nuclear training centre in Beijing to promote effective security and safeguards.
China Institute of Atomic Energy’s (CIAE) Radioactive Chemistry Department deputy director Liu Daming said President Hu Jintao had put forward the idea of building the Centre of Excellence on Nuclear Security during the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
China had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States’ Department of Energy to establish the centre.
"The location has been selected and construction will begin after project review, including that of technical design and relevant approval procedures," the China Daily quoted Daming, as saying.
According to the US National Nuclear Security Administration’s press release, the centre will serve as a platform for exchanging technical information and promoting technical collaborations to enhance nuclear security in Asia.
CIAE’s Publicity Department Deputy Director Chen Xiaopeng said the centre would use scenario-driven response exercises to impart hands-on training on international nuclear safeguards requirements and inspection techniques.
The use of nuclear power has grown rapidly in China in the recent years.
The country's nuclear power plants are expected to have a 40 million kilowatt capacity during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period, which is over double the existing 16.97 million kilowatt output.
ANI
First Published: Monday, November 14, 2011, 18:00