WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- The Chinese government is undertaking a massive nuclear power project to meet many of the country's energy challenges. The Yangjiang Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. was established on Apr. 6 to operate the Yangjiang nuclear power plant, the country's largest nuclear power project in the southern Guangdong province. As a member of Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., Ltd, the Yangjiang Nuclear Power Co. is responsible for the construction and management of Yangjiang nuclear power plant. Because of China's growing nuclear power program, the Yangjiang nuclear power program, approved in Sept. 2004, will be an important energy undertaking for China's Tenth Five-Year Plan Period (2001-2005); the province expects to construct six nuclear power generating units at million kilowatt levels in the area. The country meanwhile looks to construct some 40 nuclear reactors in 15 years, according to China's Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Every year until 2020, the government will put into commission an average of two to three 1,000-megawatt reactors. Yu Peigen, general manager for China Power Investment Corporation, said on Apr. 8: "We have finished preparatory work for nuclear power construction in coastal Shandong and Liaoning provinces and are waiting approval from the State Council" Zhang Fubao, deputy department director of China Atomic Energy Authority said: "But for the next 10 years or so, the government will put its priority in eastern and coastal regions. We are speeding up development of nuclear power because it is clean and green energy."

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The government of Pakistan announced on Apr. 8 that the country expects to undertake a long-term nuclear power project to install 8,800-megawatt power generators by 2030. China will be a supplier in Pakistan's plans to construct more nuclear reactors for electricity generation. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Khan, special advisor to the Prime Minister, and Wang Shoujun, vice president of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), had announced a joint effort to construct the Chashma-II (C-2) project, adjacent to the CHASHNUPP-I plant, units of which will be supplied by China. Chashma-I (C-1) currently operates at 95 percent with a capacity of 325 megawatts since 2000. The two countries expect to complete the C-2 is plant by 2011 when it will also be connected to Pakistan's national power grid. The plant will be the country's third nuclear power generating facility after KANUPP at Karachi and the C-1. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission under the power generation licenses of the National Power Regulatory Authority operates the two operational nuclear reactors. The United Nations watchdog on nuclear technology, the International Atomic Energy Agency monitors the country's plants.

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The European Union has expressed its desire to sign an international agreement to construct the world's first nuclear fusion reactor in France by July, according to a report disseminated on Mar. 23. Pressures mount on Japan to give up its bid to host the site. European Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik has emphasized that the EU plans to start constructing the reactor in Cadarache, France and will do so without an international agreement. Japan meanwhile looks to construct a reactor in Rokkasho, a Japanese fishing village. Six participants are currently looking to undertake such a project: the EU, Japan, China, the United States, Russia and South Korea. EU Council officials stated: "The European Council stresses the need to begin building the international thermonuclear experimental reactor on the European site by the end of 2005." Talks between the EU and Japan remain at an impasse. The $13 billion nuclear fusion reactor project is known as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and would use seawater as fuel, creating a low pollution energy source. While nuclear fusion has been considered as a long-term solution to meeting some of the world's energy challenges, years of research have thus far failed to produce a commercially viable fusion reactor.

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Swiss Totsa Total Oil Trading SA has purchased the fourth portion for 2005 of Azeri light oil, which will be exported by the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) through the Baku-Supsa western pipeline in April. A total of 1 million barrels will be transported to tankers from the Supsa Georgian port on April 23-24, according to SOCAR officials. SOCAR has produced 41 portions of Azeri light oil from the Chirag field within the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli project thus far. Other purchases of oil consignments include British Glencore, Arcadia Petroleum Czech Unipetrol Refinery with 1 million barrels each and were exported via the western route in the January-March period. SOCAR has yet to determine future oil amounts to be exported through the Baku-Supsa pipeline for 2005. In 2004, the company exported approximately 7.2 million tons through the pipeline.

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Canada's Alberta community hopes that the region's proposed massive solar energy project would cut gas bills in half. Peterson Engineering of Calgary has proposed a $20 million project that would install solar power panels over an area the size of a football field, which will heat homes and water. The project also increases utilizing some biomass energy and burning products such as straw and wood waste. Underground pipelines would deliver the energy to consumers. Jim O'Keefe, an engineer, said the town of Vulcan expects to receive approximately 50 percent its energy from renewable sources. Mayor Dave Mitchell added that he has yet to hear any negative comments about the undertaking. Project design studies are expected to be completed by the fall.

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BP expects to hold the company's annual meeting next Thursday. A BP subsidiary is currently witnessing a protest vote over a new executive incentive plan that could increase salary bonuses for directors by six times. BP is one of the major stakeholders in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline connecting the Caspian and the Mediterranean. Groups like Friends of the Earth have continued their on going campaign against the pipeline for safety, environmental and human rights concerns.

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Closing oil prices, Apr. 11, 3 p.m. London

Brent Crude oil: $52.07

West Texas intermediate crude oil: $52.60

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