China National Nuclear Cooperation (CNNC) unveiled the country’s first software package tailored to its own nuclear power technology, called NESTOR, in Beijing on Dec 17.

It marks a key milestone of qualifying China to export entire nuclear power projects independently and keep pace with powerful countries of nuclear power like the US and France.

The independently-developed software for nuclear power is a crucial step for China’s transformation from a big player to a powerful one in nuclear, and will pave the way for equipment export and technology transfer.

The NESTOR, a software package for independent nuclear power technology will greatly improve the design, manufacturing, installation, testing and operation of a nuclear power project based on CNNC’s HPR1000 design, and lay a foundation for the R&D of next generation nuclear reactor and the digitalization, customization, intelligentization and design innovation of nuclear power plants.

According to Yu Peigen, CNNC vice president, as a representative of high-end equipment, the HPR1000 design has already been used in Fujian province and exported abroad, following China’s high-speed train to become another name card for the country.

He said developers will keep updating them to match the next generation nuclear power development and make its self-developed technologies to go global.

Besides the construction has started on a pilot nuclear power project using Hualong One technology, CNNC’s CF3 fuel assembly has been also tested during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15).