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MOSCOW, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - Atomstroiexport, a state-run company that builds nuclear facilities overseas, said Wednesday it will start negotiations later this year with China on construction of two more reactors at the Tianwan nuclear power plant.
"Currently, unofficial consultations with Chinese partners are underway," company president Sergei Shmatko said.
He said the project was worth an estimated $1.5 billion.
The first power unit at the Tianwan plant was connected to the Chinese power grid in mid-May. It is running at 30% capacity and is expected to be put into commercial operation in fall.
Atomstroiexport has been building the Tianwan NPP, which uses improved VVER-1000 reactors and K-100-6/3000 turbogenerators, under a Russian-Chinese agreement signed in 1992.
Atomstroiexport is Russia's leading company implementing intergovernmental agreements on building nuclear facilities overseas, and the world's only company building five power units for NPPs in China, India and Iran.
Atomstroiexport and the state-owned Russian bank Vnesheconombank Wednesday signed an agreement on basic principles for financing nuclear energy project overseas.
