A source reveals that a corporate consortium consisting of China’s SOE-the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) and Toshiba-Westinghouse is likely to join hands to bid for 4 nuclear units in Turkey. The consortia are still negotiating with the Turkish government. As it reported, this nuclear power project will cost at least 2 trillion Yen. If Japan can use the cash from its strong competitor-SPIC to achieve the Turkish project, it would be a good example for Japan in future to tackle and implement its nuclear export strategy.
President of the Westinghouse Danny Roderick explained the work division of the Plan：China will provide the fund support, while the Toshiba-Westinghouse will provide the equipments.
Toshiba-Westinghouse is trying to avoid the funding and would like to use China’s money to win this project, because the financial matter is always a big trouble for it. It is predicted that the total investment could only be paid back in 10 years by selling electricity in this long term. So Toshiba-Westinghouse cannot take a risk to build this project by itself. In addition, Toshiba-Westinghouse pointed that it could encounter much more difficulties in an unsettled country with the political unrest and the economic instability. And meanwhile, it is not an easy thing to find a positive investor.
Speaking of the possibility of the cooperation between China, Japan and the United States, Roderick said that it is in line with all these three parties’ interests, and in some projects, their benefits are consistent. China has sufficient funds, and also shows great interest in the western nuclear technology. Moreover, China is anxious to win the overseas nuclear orders to cultivate the development and growth of the native nuclear industry.
For Japan-America, this risk of this cooperation plan is that their nuclear technology would probably be leaked to China; and the China’s nuclear enterprises could be blooming in the overseas market.
Besides, the Media pointed out that Japan has seen a slack nuclear situation in its native land. To sustain its core technology and maintain the economic development, it is a must for it to export its nuclear. Japan will make a choice between competing and cooperating with China sooner or later. And on the other hand, the Trump Government is said to be tough on China. Which decision will the pro-American Japan make on the nuclear issue in the end? Let’s see.
