Nuclear-powered heatingIn 2002, an agreement was signed to establish a seawater desalination and heating plant - using atomic reactors - at the coastal city of Yingkou, China. It is designed to address severe water shortages in China. The deep-water reactor designed by Chinese scientists is to burn used fuel from nuclear power stations under normal pressure giving 200 megawatts. The initial phase, costing 35 million yuan ($4 million) would provide heating for a building area of 5 million sq. meters during winter. It can also desalinate 3,000 tons of sea water daily when no heating is required. The daily capacity is expected to amount to 80,000 tons. The reactor in theory is able to replace about 130,000 tons of coal burned every year, reducing immensely waste gases. |