Eight years has passed when China and the US are cooperating to study the “nuclear central system”. Finally the NuPAC platform—a “Central Nerve System” of the nuclear power plant jointly developed by the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) and the Lockheed Martin Company, obtained the “Administrative Permit” issued by the China-US nuclear regulators. It is expected to promote not only in China-US market, but also will face to the global nuclear market.
SPIC announced on January 5 that the NuPAC has been accredited by the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA of China) as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC of America). It is the first NPP reactor protection system that gets approved by China-US nuclear regulators. As described, NuPAC platform could adapt the CAP-type nuclear power plants, Gen II plus NPP, VVER, sea floating NPP, heavy gas turbine and the signal handling equipment of the rail transit. All of them are closely related to the National Defense and the Energy field.
Lockheed Martin Corp. is the largest military suppliers in the US. Why China will choose to work with a foreign company who has the military background and even jointly research and develop the so-much sensitive I&C system? Is there any potential safety loophole or hazard lurking in this platform? They are the tough concerns raised by Mr. Wang Binghua, the president of SPIC. He added, “If there any “backdoor” left in the process of platform establishment? If there is a possibility in the foreign partners that they design a hazardous system to paralyze Chinese nuclear power plants or the other main industries which apply this platform? Although the Lockheed executive vice-president Mr. Rick Edwards totally denied the likeliness of the doubts, China still exist some questioning voice.
It seems China is still seeking the best solutions to ensure the nuclear safety except for the advocating of independence, especially in the important industry fields.
