Global nuclear power supply chains and the rise of China's nuclear industry
Author(s)
Metzler, Florian
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Alternative title
Nuclear power supply chains in China : following established rules or redefining the industry?
Rise of China's nuclear industry
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.
Advisor
Richard K. Lester and Edward S. Steinfeld.
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China has embarked on a massive expansion of nuclear power that may fundamentally change the global nuclear industry, for better or for worse. Some industry observers argue that the incumbent nuclear power companies are already losing their position of leadership to emergent Chinese actors. Others argue that the growing Chinese nuclear power industry creates more opportunities for all. In this thesis, I discuss Chinese nuclear power development in relation to the global nuclear power industry. I argue that understanding three aspects of the development of China's nuclear industry help understand the opportunities and threats that come with it: (1) common practices of the global nuclear industry in regard to technology transfer and localization (2) different global trends towards deverticalization and integration and (3) idiosyncrasies of the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem that affect global nuclear power supply chains. I argue that Chinese and foreign companies, and policy makers, need to comprehend these principles well as they inform corporate and national strategies, affecting the present and future competitiveness of nuclear power industry actors globally.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-95).
Date issued
2012Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems DivisionPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Engineering Systems Division.