China: AREVA announces the creation of a new joint-venture in the nuclear industry

AREVA and CNPRI ¹ created a joint venture BRIC (Beijing-RIC) located in Beijing and specialized in the construction and maintenance of reactor incore I&C (RIC ²) for reactors at Chinese CPR-1000 power plants.

Thanks to this new partnership, AREVA has signed a contract with CNPEC ³ for the supply of RIC systems for two reactors at the Ningde power plant, located in Fujian Province, in south east China.

After the creation in 2009 of the joint venture WECAN (55% CGNPC / 45% AREVA), in charge of engineering and procurement for second and third generation reactors (CPR-1000, EPR™), China is once again turning to the experience and the expertise of AREVA in this area.

The group is therefore pursuing its commitment and investments in a country where energy demand is growing and the nuclear power program is developing apace.

Philippe Samama, Executive Vice President of the Installed Base business unit within AREVA, said: "the creation of this new company will strengthen business relations with our longtime Chinese partners. It also helps us sustainably strengthen our positions on a market where expansion is in full swing." 

⁽¹⁾ CNPRI: China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, a subsidiary of longstanding group partner CGNPC (China GuangDong Nuclear Power Company)

 ⁽²⁾ RIC: Reactor Incore Control - The reactor’s incore instrumentation and control system is a strategic element for the correct operation of the reactor. It measures and records the distribution of the neutron flux and the associated temperature in the core. These are two variables that play a vital role in safety and plant performance.

⁽³⁾ CNPEC: China Nuclear Power Engineering Company