NANNING, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China remains open to the third-generation nuclear power technologies of France and Russia though it has adopted AP 1000 developed by U.S.-based Westinghouse, said a senior executive of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) on Sunday.

China's first third-generation pressurized water reactors adopting Westinghouse technology will be put into commercial operation at the end of 2013, Ma Lu, vice president of the SNPTC, the state-authorized third-generation nuclear power generation developer, said at the China-ASEAN Power Cooperation and Development Forum.

The reactor, located in Sanmen City of East China's Zhejiang Province, will also be the first one in the world using AP 1000 technologies.

While choosing bidders for supply of third-generation nuclear power facilities and technologies, China puts into consideration factors concerning commercial use, technology and laws, and stresses technology transfer and localization, said Ma Lu.

China launched bidding in 2003 for its nuclear power stations of the third generation. Foreign companies including Westinghouse, France's Areva and Russia's Atom Stroy Export are major bidders.

Westinghouse became the winner after China signed a memo with the United States on the introduction and transfer of 3rd generation nuclear power technologies in December 2006.

The final agreement was inked between the SNPTC and Westinghouse in July 2007, according to which China will buy four third-generation pressurized water reactors from Westinghouse, including technology transfers to China.

The four pressurized water reactors will be installed two in Sanmen City and two in Haiyang City, Shandong Province. Preliminary preparations for the AP 1000 projects have finished at both sites.

After importing the AP 1000 technology from Westinghouse, the SNPTC will try its best to absorb it and make innovations, said Ma.

By the year 2020, China will have 40-million-kilowatt installed capacity of nuclear power, accounting for 4 percent of the country's total. However the current installed capacity of nuclear power is only about eight million kilowatts.

As there is still a large room for China to develop its nuclear power capacity, China remains open to nuclear power generation technologies from other countries including France and Russia, said Ma.

China now has 11 nuclear power reactors in operation. Among them, three use domestic technologies, two are equipped with Russian technology and four with French technologies, and two are Canadian designed. All the 11 reactors employ second-generation nuclear power technologies.

Established this May, the SNPTC is jointly funded by the State Council, or cabinet, and four large state-owned enterprises. It is authorized by the State Council to sign contracts for the transfer of third-generation nuclear power technologies from other countries on behalf of China.