2015年CRI Hinkley Nuclear Plant Deal Struck（在线收听）

CRI's Huang Shan reports.

The agreement will see the China General Nuclear Power Corporation team up with a French company to build the new plant at Hinkley Point.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister David Cameron have overseen the signing of the agreement.

As part of it, China General Nuclear will invest around 10-billion US dollars into the project, while French state-run firm Electricite de France, or French Electric, will provide around 20-billion US dollars.

The Chinese side will control one-third of the project when its done, while the French side will hold the rest.

Martin Freer, Director of the Birmingham Centre of Nuclear Education and Research, says the deal will be a chance for the Chinese company to prove its ability to tap a global market for building nuclear power projects.

"This is an opportunity for china to understand the culture and the UK market. This is the window to the world, a shop window. So if China can bring Chinese nuclear plants to the UK, which is one of the most challenging places to get a reactor regulation system, so if you can do that in the UK, so you can sell your technology worldwide. So this is a great market opportunity for Chinese enterprises."

Hinkley Point is the first of a number of nuclear power projects the British government is hoping to open.

Hinkley Point, with two reactors, will provide the largest output by a single power plant in Britain.

The deal itself was secured during Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's visit to China last month.

The plant is expected to be operational by 2025.

Yu Peigen, vice general manager China General Nuclear, says he believes his company has what it takes to make the project a success.

"During the past 30 years, China has seen remarkable progress in nuclear energy technology. We have developed our Hualong One reactor and a new company is to be formed soon to explore the global nuclear power market. We also have elite engineers. This is our advantage."

The Hualong One is the first domestically-developed reactor in China using so-called third generation technology.

Chen Fengying with China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations says the Hinkley Power Project in the UK could set a benchmark for Chinese companies hoping to work on large-scale projects overseas.

"The joint investment at Hinkley Point is a good example of how Chinese companies can work more closely on the international stage. It shows that it's feasible to work together with a foreign company in a third-party market. For Chinese nuclear power companies, the future is not only in Britain. There are plenty of opportunities elsewhere."

The Hinkley project will provide energy to nearly 6-million homes and create more than 25-thousand jobs.

Prime Minister David Cameron has described the new partnership as "historic."

Chinese President Xi Jinping says he believes Hinkley Point will be a flagship project leading to more cooperation of its kind in the future.

The final investment agreements still have to be signed by the Chinese and French sides.

Those deals, largely a formality, are expected to be concluded in the next few weeks.

Their agreement also includes the potential development of two additional nuclear power stations in the UK.

One of the projects could include the use of a Chinese-designed reactor.

For CRI, I'm Huang Shan.