Author:huang wei

　　[CAEA net news]On February 28, 2005,Mr.Zhang Huazhu, Chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority(CAEA) had a meeting with Mr.Bob Deltete, Senior Vice President of Duratek, and exchanged the views on the Chinese Vitrification project.

　　Frankly speaking, said Chairman Zhang, commercial and technology conditions rather than politics were the major considerations when China introduced the foreign technology in the fields of nuclear power and nuclear fuel cycle. The vitrification project in China was subject to this rule as well.  Not long ago, the German Premier and French Ambassador in China wrote letters to Chinese leaders respectively. Now, former US politician did same to Chinese President Hu to show the strong support from its own government. Up to now, nevertheless, the discussion on this vitrification project was only carried out among the experts.

　　Mr.Zhang hoped Duratek company could carefully study the discrepancy between other competitors and itself in terms of commercial and technology conditions and find out the method to eliminate the difference. Chairman Zhang had also raised the questions to Mr.Deltete in regard to Duratek practical experience in handling high-level waste and process of high level radioactive liquid waste project going on in Hanford. 

　　Mr.Deltete said, as leading company in the international high level vitrification, Duratek had  fully met all the NRC requirements on safety and technical standard and possessed five export licenses. If Duratek could have a chance to participate in the Chinese Vitrification project, Chinese enterprises could not only benefit from the most advanced technology financed by USDOE but largely reduce the risk of handling high-level radioactive liquid waste as well. Duratek had made very much improvement on the vitrification technology used in the　West Valley project, Mr.Deltete mentioned. This improved and verified technology had been designated by USDOE to handle the high-level liquid waste in Hanford with volume of 200,000 cubic meters. During the meeting,  Mr.Deltete also passed a copy of letter drafted by the former US politician to Chinese leader and hoped the cooperation between Duratek and Chinese partner on this project could lead to the strategic cooperation between two countries. (huang wei)