China mulls deploying floating nuclear power platform in South China Sea: Report via the Economic Times

BEIJING: China is edging closer to building its first floating maritime nuclear power platform with the prospects of deploying it in the disputed South China Sea, a state-run daily said today even as the Foreign Ministry declined to react, saying it had not heard of the plans.

The Global Times in a report said the nuclear platforms could significantly boost the efficiency of the country’s construction work on islands in the strategic South China Sea.

It said the nuclear power platforms could “sail” to remote areas and provide a stable power supply.

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The report said a group of experts has reviewed and discussed the technical plan on the construction of the platform proposed by Institute 719, which is also under the CSIC, and reached a unanimous conclusion.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, however, declined to react and played down the story as a media report.

“What you said is a media report. I have not heard about that,” Hua said, when asked about the report the Global Times.

The construction of the first maritime nuclear power platform, which serves as a demonstration project, is expected to be completed by 2018 and be put into use by 2019, China Securities Journal reported in January.