Westinghouse China Manager Promotes Technology Transfer and

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001261 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE PLEASE PASS USAID STATE PLEASE PASS USGS DEPT FOR AF/S, EEB/ESC AND CBA DOE FOR SPERL AND PERSON DOC FOR ITA/DIEMOND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EPET EMIN EINV EIND ETRD SF CH SUBJECT: Westinghouse China Manager Promotes Technology Transfer and Localization in South Africa REF: Pretoria 941 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Charge hosted a luncheon on June 17 for Westinghouse where the company's Technology Transfer and Localization Director for its China project show-cased Westinghouse's track record for technology transfer localization, and punctuality for its nuclear power plants under construction in China to a range of relevant SAG officials. The SAG has reaffirmed its commitment to augmenting its nuclear power supply, but is still establishing the way forward. The Mission has organized several events to provide commercial advocacy for Westinghouse's bid over the last two years. END SUMMARY. -------------- Commercial Advocacy for Westinghouse -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Charge d'Affaires, Economic Counselor, and Minerals/Energy Officer worked with Westinghouse Regional Vice President Rita Bowser to organize a luncheon on June 17 for Westinghouse Technology Transfer and Localization Director - China Mark Crump to emphasize the company's commitment and implementation of its technology transfer and localization initiatives in China. The objective was to convey Westinghouse's proven track record and its applicability to South Africa to key officials of the SAG as the new government assesses its way forward for building new nuclear power plants in South Africa. Officials from the Department of Energy, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Finance, Toshiba, and the Japanese Embassy attended. The group represented most of the agencies comprising the SAG nuclear task team which will present the nuclear "dossier" to the new government in the next few months to establish the way forward. Westinghouse has told the Embassy that this is a key period for influencing the evolving process (reftel). -------------- Technology Transfer in China -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Crump highlighted its leadership and track record in international technology transfer and localization in South Korea, China, and other countries. Westinghouse is working closely with the Chinese State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation for ambitious technology transfer and localization for its AP1000 technologies in China. The objective is to achieve nuclear power self-reliance for Generation III+ passive Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) technologies. Crump remarked that the Chinese are very ambitious in the speed of implementing localized capacity, aiming for significant domestic production in the third and fourth plants. Westinghouse poured first concrete on time March 31, 2009 at its first Sanmen I plant and expects to be ahead of time on the second Haiyang I facility. Westinghouse is successfully implementing a broad-based program for transfer of key equipment, sub-supplier, and fuel technologies to China. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: Westinghouse handily pitched China as a template for its AP1000 technology transfer, thereby promoting its direct applicability to developing the nuclear manufacturing industry in South Africa. The Embassy was instrumental in convincing QSouth Africa. The Embassy was instrumental in convincing Westinghouse to bring its China Manager to South Africa to trumpet its success in China. This commercial advocacy success came at a key juncture as the new government evaluates where it will go with nuclear power. Coal is perceived as relatively cheap and abundant, but the SAG is adopting carbon mitigation and energy diversity as greater priorities. There is also a relative shortage of coal and hydro resources in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, where the future nuclear power plants are to be located. Westinghouse is still in the game. LALIME