Chinese nuclear companies to build UK plants
中国核电站将在英国建厂
Media reports say President Xi is expected to preside over the signing of several multi-billion US dollar business deals during his visit to the UK. One of the deals reportedly will bring China into the heart of Britain's civil nuclear power program. China's state-run nuclear companies are expected to join with French Electricity giant EDF to invest in building two next-generation nuclear reactors in southwest England.
The Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is expected to cost an estimated 25 billion pounds, nearly US$40 billion. The Chinese companies are expected to hold an estimated 40-percent stake in the plant that's expected to eventually generate about seven percent of Britain's power supplies.
Another major deal is a likely investment of about 50 billion pounds, or nearly US$80 billion, in the High Speed 2 rail project. The H-S-2 is a planned high-speed railway that will link the city centers of London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.
The project is expected to boost the local economy and provide jobs for the region while significantly reducing carbon emissions. Travel time will almost be halved between the urban areas if the high-speed railway is completed and will only take 45 minutes to go from Birmingham to London.