To be a leader in the high-quality development of the global nuclear energy industry



Along the way, what glory have China's nuclear power people gained and what challenges have they suffered? Under the background of "dual carbon", what new opportunities and risks are China's nuclear power industry facing? In the future, how to better achieve high-quality development, serve the national strategy, and benefit mankind? Around the above issues, the "State Assets Report" conducted an in-depth interview with Lu Tiezhong, assistant general manager of China National Nuclear Group and Secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of China Nuclear Power Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as "China Nuclear Power"), to explore the answers to relevant questions.

Start: reflect the national will on behalf of national interests

 30 years ago, why did China develop nuclear power? Under what conditions did the old generation of nuclear power workers build Qinshan nuclear Power Plant from zero?

Lu Tiezhong: The nuclear industry is a high-tech strategic industry and an important cornerstone of national security. Nuclear power is the pearl in the crown of the nuclear industry chain, which has received great attention from the Party and state leaders from the initial stage, reflecting the national will and representing the national interests.

China's nuclear industry began on January 15, 1955.  In 1970, when Premier Zhou Enlai was briefed on the power shortage in Shanghai, he specifically pointed out that "the solution to the problem of electricity consumption in Shanghai and East China depends on nuclear power... The second engine department should not only be the explosive department, but also peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear power plants." On December 30, 1982, at the Fifth session of the Fifth National People's Congress, China solemnly announced the decision to build the Qinshan nuclear Power Plant. On March 20, 1985, the first tank of concrete was poured at the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we gave full play to the institutional advantages of the country's one-game chess and centralized efforts to do major things, and a total of 18 ministries and commissions, more than 100 scientific research units, more than 600 manufacturers, and more than 10 construction units participated in the construction of Qinshan nuclear Power Plant.  China has become the seventh country in the world to design and build nuclear power plants by itself.

Through the construction of Qinshan Station, China has truly mastered nuclear power technology, trained nuclear power personnel, and established a systematic nuclear safety culture system and quality assurance system. So far, Qinshan nuclear Power Plant has exported more than 2,500 backbone and nearly 100 senior executives of nuclear power companies. It can be said that wherever there are nuclear power plants in China, there will be management, technology and talents exported by China National Nuclear Group Qinshan Nuclear Power Base. Thirty years later, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant is still "strong" and running well. On the basis of the National Nuclear Safety Administration's agreement to extend the operation license, on November 5, 2021, the Zhejiang Energy Regulatory Office of the National Energy Administration completed the review and handling of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1's extended operation power business license, the validity period was extended to December 15, 2041, and the unit capacity was changed to 350MW, once again creating a precedent in the development of nuclear power technology in China.

Growth: Nuclear safety culture is the eternal pursuit of excellence for the soul

State Assets Report: Safety is the lifeline of the nuclear industry. How do you evaluate the safety level of nuclear power in China and the entire nuclear power industry in China? What do you think is the root cause of the safe operation of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant for 30 years?

Lu Tiezhong: In more than 30 years, the operation level of China's nuclear power plants has achieved a leap from following and running to leading, and there has never been an incident or accident at or above level 2 of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). In 2020, there will be about 440 nuclear power units in the world, of which more than 80 units have full marks, while 28 units out of nearly 50 units in China have reached full marks, accounting for about 1/3 of the world's full marks. In 2021, among the 22 nuclear power units in China that meet the accounting conditions, 19 units are expected to have full WANO composite index scores, and the number of full scores and the proportion of full scores are ranked first in the world, continuing to maintain a leading level. In my opinion, security not only depends on management, system and technology, but also depends on the cultivation and guidance of culture.

Looking back on the development of China's nuclear power for more than 30 years, China's nuclear power has always regarded nuclear safety culture as its soul and the pursuit of excellence as eternal. Bearing in mind that "safety is the lifeblood of the nuclear industry", we take ensuring safety as the top priority of our work and implement the concept of "rational, coordinated and balanced" nuclear security. Establish a sense of rule of law, a sense of danger, a sense of self-discipline, a sense of collaboration, adhere to a high level of safety culture, perseverance, a long time for success. We have put in place an operational system with security as the core. Clear leadership to make the example of safe production, policy decision-making, organizational construction, resource allocation with safe operation as the primary goal. Establish a command system for the safety production of nuclear power plants with the duty commander as the center, so that those who listen to the sound of gunfire have full decision-making power over nuclear safety matters. In the event of nuclear safety risks and challenges, the shift leader has the right to directly order the shutdown without consulting the company's leadership. We implement safety director inspection, experience feedback and other systems, develop and use equipment reliability management, human error prevention and other system tools, uphold conservative decision-making in production, strictly adhere to the safety margin.

"State Assets Report" : China's nuclear power industry has adopted the development mode of "walking on two legs", on the one hand, insisting on self-reliance, the construction of Qinshan nuclear power plant; On the one hand, it insisted on technological introduction, digestion, absorption and re-innovation, and built nuclear power plants such as Daya Bay. In your opinion, how do these two technological routes promote each other in practical development? In the future, China's nuclear power industry will grow, how to draw strength from reform and innovation?

Lu Tiezhong: Nuclear power is a worldwide cause, and all nuclear industry members are closely related to a community of shared future for nuclear safety. It has formed a learning organizational atmosphere of openness and transparency and experience feedback in the nuclear power industry. For China's nuclear power, independent innovation and introduction and absorption have always gone hand in hand, complementing each other and advancing hand in hand.

China has independent intellectual property rights of the third generation of nuclear power technology brand "Hualong One", is on the basis of Qinshan nuclear power plant 300,000-kilowatt unit technology system, absorbs the passive design concept of the American AP1000 and the security arrangement of the Russian VVER double-layer containment, and makes breakthroughs and innovations on the basis of collecting people's strengths. A unique 177 core design was developed to meet the highest international safety standards.

Reform is the only way to invigorate people. I am convinced that there are risks to reform, but the risks of not reforming are greater. Of the 70% assessment requirements for the three-year action goals and tasks of state-owned enterprise reform in 2021 and the implementation of the implementation, we have completed 91.1%, exceeding the set tasks. In the future, we will further standardize corporate governance, make good use of reform policy toolkit, better implement market-oriented operation mode, optimize investment management and operation management mode, attach importance to market value management, actively incubate new platforms, ignite the "fire" in the hearts of employees, and realize the positive correlation between enterprise development and employees' interests. Let effective managers and excellent employees continue to emerge and grow together with the company. In terms of technological innovation, China is currently building high-temperature gas-cooled reactors with the characteristics of the fourth generation of advanced nuclear energy systems and fast reactors in the fourth generation of reactors. In the future, China Nuclear Power will adhere to the "small core, large collaboration" model, further strengthen cooperation with scientific research institutions such as Tsinghua University, improve and promote high-temperature gas cooled reactor technology, fast reactor and other new generation reactors.

"State Assets Report" : In your opinion, compared with the international giants, China's nuclear power talent team construction is at what level, what can be further improved space?

Lu Tiezhong: Talent is the first resource. At present, China Nuclear Power has 16,000 employees, including more than 600 operators and more than 700 senior operators, with an average age of 34. Through project cooperation, flexible dual employment and other ways to employ a number of academicians to participate in the company's science and technology research and development activities. Against the international first-class nuclear energy companies, China's nuclear power will continue to make efforts in the training and development of high-level scientific and technological talents.

In the future, we will give full play to the guiding and guaranteeing role of Party building, attract talents with undertakings, inspire people with mechanisms, and inspire people with spirit. We must strengthen ideological and political education, and give full play to the role of Party branches as fighting fortresses and Party members as vanguard models. Through the party member responsibility area, the party member commando team and the setting of Pengshiliu science and technology innovation demonstration Zone, "talent special Zone" and other measures to train talents and gather talents faster, give full play to the leading role of party members and cadres, and better practice the vow of "loyalty to the Party and active work" and continue the "red gene" of state-owned central enterprises. Through the implementation of market-oriented and contractual management mechanisms, we will stimulate the vitality of the talent team, and establish a mechanism to produce more and faster talents relying on major projects and major scientific research projects. Strengthen the training and organizational development of the existing cadre team, and build a high-quality professional cadre team that ADAPTS to the requirements of the company's market-oriented and international development strategy.

"State Assets Report" : China's nuclear power is the pioneer of China's nuclear science and technology, and also the forerunner of China's nuclear power "going out". In the course of China's nuclear power "going out", what challenges have been encountered? What are some valuable lessons to share?

Lu Tiezhong: On December 31, 1991, China and Pakistan signed an agreement in Beijing to cooperate in the construction of Chashma nuclear power Plant in Pakistan based on the reference of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant. Chashma project is the first export commercial nuclear power plant designed and built by China, and is the largest high-tech complete set export project in China at that time. As a sign, China's nuclear power has simultaneously carried out nuclear power technology supporting services "going out" and achieved fruitful results.

In addition to technical services going out, China's nuclear power exchanges and "going out" at the level of international organizations are also continuing. The company carries out extensive exchanges and cooperation with domestic and foreign institutions, and supports dozens of experienced experts to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Association of Nuclear Power Operators (WANO) every year, making positive contributions to the sharing of experience in the field of nuclear power operation and construction, as well as the improvement of technical and management capabilities in various countries.

By going global through technical services and talents, Chinese nuclear power workers have broadened their horizons and actively absorbed and learned from the advanced experience of nuclear power counterparts in different countries around the world. What is particularly valuable is that through the organic integration of diverse technological innovation and intensive experience sharing, China's nuclear power has formed a unique innovation ability that is stronger than its peers in managing the complexity of different types of reactors, and finally realized the leapfrog of nuclear power operation level from following and running to leading.

Future: Nuclear energy contributes to the two-carbon goal of clean life

"State Assets Report" : Nuclear power is an important clean energy. Since the energy supply guarantee, more and more people have thought deeply about the dialectical relationship between energy security and green development. What contribution has China's nuclear power made in reducing carbon emissions over the past 30 years? In your opinion, what is the future development prospect of the nuclear power industry? What are the specific challenges?

Lu Tiezhong: Nuclear power is a high-quality, high-density, zero-emission clean energy. The energy released by fission of 1 kg of U-235 is about the same as 2,700 tons of standard coal, and it emits no carbon dioxide. The greenhouse gas emission level of the whole industrial chain of nuclear power is comparable to that of hydropower and wind power, only one-fifth of solar photovoltaic power generation, and about two orders of magnitude lower than coal power. Over the past 30 years or so, China's nuclear power has contributed more than 1.2 trillion KWH of clean nuclear energy, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 899 million tons, equivalent to planting more than 2.88 million hectares of green forests.

In the context of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, nuclear energy will better play a synergistic effect with intermittent and volatile wind power, photovoltaic and other based-load power sources, and better ensure the national energy security and the needs of clean and low-carbon development. In addition to nuclear power generation, new functions of nuclear energy such as heating, hydrogen production, steam supply, seawater desalination and isotope production can better benefit the people. In my opinion, the biggest challenge in the application of nuclear energy is the safety of nuclear energy and the public's correct perception of nuclear energy safety. The development level of China's nuclear energy industry has stood in the world's first square, and then will be a "no man's land". How to explore the "no man's land" and better lead the development of the global nuclear energy industry, we have both pressure and determination and confidence. We will maintain the morale of pursuing the first and surpassing ourselves, accelerate the formation of an advanced safe operation index system and safety culture index system of nuclear power plants with Chinese characteristics, and promote them to the world and the world, so as to promote the development of nuclear energy toward a better future that is more advanced, more reliable, more economical and more assured. Strengthen the consciousness of "your question about nuclear power is our responsibility", and better practice the "3C" communication concept of transparency, openness, equality, extensive and convenience, namely Confidence, Connection and Coordination. We will continue to consolidate the social foundation for public understanding and support for nuclear energy.

"State Assets Report" : It is understood that in the future, China's nuclear power will recreate a "new Qinshan" on the basis of the existing Qinshan nuclear power plant. What is the future development plan of China's nuclear power during the 14th Five-Year Plan period?

Lu Tiezhong: The company will adhere to the business purpose of "safety first, quality first, return to shareholders, serve the society, and promote the development of employees", and continue to enhance the preservation and appreciation of state-owned assets and the core competitiveness of enterprises. Specifically, it will take promoting the high-quality development of the global nuclear energy industry as its own responsibility, and "five industries at the same time" to enable a better life. First, practice nuclear safety culture, build a golden brand, and continue to expand the scale of the nuclear power market. The company will always do safety first, build quality projects, and cultivate first-class talents. At the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan", the annual nuclear power generation will strive to reach 200 billion KWH, and the operation performance and comprehensive index of more than 70% nuclear power units will continue to be the world's leading. The second is to explore model innovation, cooperate with customer needs, and expand the multi-purpose use of nuclear energy. Actively explore the commercial value of traditional nuclear power bases, promote the orderly implementation of the "nuclear power +" project, and provide nuclear energy heating, hydrogen production, steam supply, seawater desalination, isotope production, and comprehensive smart energy services in the park. Third, give full play to nuclear power technical service expertise and accelerate international cooperation in the nuclear energy industry. We will continue to use technical services as a link to continuously expand the international market, promote the "century-old marriage" between countries, and accelerate the construction of a new development pattern. Fourth, adhere to integrated development, combined with local needs, give play to the attributes of nuclear power base load power and nuclear power plant geographical advantages, expand the non-nuclear clean energy industry, and better serve the common prosperity of social development goals. Take Qinshan nuclear power Plant as an example, give full play to the demonstration and driving role of nuclear power industry, and vigorously support Haiyan to develop nuclear power related industries. Fifth, adhere to innovation and development, and actively break through the agile clean technology industry. We will pay close attention to the development trend of cutting-edge technologies such as new energy and power technologies and multiple energy coupling technologies, and focus on technological innovation around projects such as improving the safety performance of units and Hualong One operation and maintenance. We will carry out research and development and industrial promotion of low-carbon, zero-carbon and negative carbon technologies in a timely manner. Forge a new journey and build a new era. In the future, we will firmly grasp new opportunities, join hands with various partners and stakeholders, continue the fine tradition of "the glory of the country", inherit and carry forward the spirit of "two bombs and one star" and the nuclear industry spirit of "four everything", actively practice the nuclear industry spirit of "strong nuclear service to the country, innovation and dedication" in the new era, and open the goal of "nuclear energy helps the" double carbon ". The new journey of "Clean, Enable a Better Life" will contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the development of nuclear power in the world, and contribute more to the construction of a beautiful China and ecological civilization!