Russia has confirmed it is supplying highly enriched uranium to two Chinese nuclear reactors, raising concerns about deepening nuclear energy cooperation between the two nations. TVEL, a key player in the nuclear fuel industry and a subsidiary of state-owned Rosatom, has secured a license to supply China with nuclear fuel for the next three years.
The fuel will be delivered to China’s CFR-600 power plant, located in the southeastern province of Fujian. This advanced facility has two fast neutron reactors, each capable of producing 600 megawatts of power. The first reactor is due to go online later this year, marking a major milestone in China’s nuclear power ambitions.
The news that Russia is supplying highly enriched uranium to China’s nuclear reactors comes as Washington has expressed growing concerns about cooperation between Beijing and Moscow on nuclear energy. The concerns also did not go unnoticed by US policymakers. In March, top Republicans in Congress sent a letter to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan describing the partnership as an “imminent threat to US security”, calling on the Biden administration to take action to stop it.
According to a World Nuclear News report in January, TVEL has already delivered three cargoes of nuclear fuel to the CFR-600 power plant by September 2022. The latest report reveals that the nuclear fuel supplied by TVEL to the CFR-600 power plant in China it is highly enriched uranium, with a concentration of just over 30% uranium-235. This is a significantly higher concentration than in naturally occurring uranium, which is typically less than 1%.
Fast reactors, such as those used in the CFR-600 power plant, typically require a concentration of uranium-235 above 20%. This level of enrichment is significantly lower than that used in nuclear weapons (which typically contain about 90% uranium-235 and plutonium).
Triple nuclear warheads by 2035 for China
China’s plan to develop a closed nuclear fuel cycle involves fast reactors that reprocess the remaining uranium and plutonium isotopes in the spent fuel. This aims to reduce the risk of shortages and is part of a wider strategy to transition to more sustainable and reliable energy sources.
In March, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, Rosatom and the China Atomic Energy Authority signed a long-term cooperation agreement to develop fast neutron reactors and closed nuclear fuel cycles. Fast reactors use uranium-238, the most common isotope, to produce plutonium-239, which can be used as nuclear fuel or in nuclear weapons.
There are potential risks associated with the use of liquid sodium as a reactor coolant in the fast reactors at the Fujian Power Plant. Liquid sodium can easily catch fire in air and water and is prone to leakage. However, the reactor in Fujian is intended solely for the production of electricity and is not designed for military purposes.
Despite these assurances, concerns about the safety and security implications of nuclear energy cooperation between China and Russia continue to preoccupy US policymakers and experts. According to an annual report released by the Pentagon in November 2022, China is expected to triple its stockpile of nuclear warheads to 1,500 by 2035.
Chinese military leaders are reportedly building up their nuclear arsenal to deter US forces from intervening in potential crises, such as those in the South China Sea or Taiwan.
