A wave of further development of China's nuclear energy technology is on the horizon following the new project to de-sphere-fuel technology.

Of the two progressive programs, one is the prototype Preparation facility HTR-PM, which is planned to demonstrate the commercial potential of HTR-10 spherical fuel technology. The other is a helium-gas turbine generator system, which incorporates the original HTR-10 reactor.

China also plans to build a 190GW reactor test plant in the eastern city of Rongcheng. If successful, the site will have a total of 19 spherical fuel reactors, generating 3.6 gigawatts of power.

Spherical fuel reactor (PBR) technology is an advanced technology that is a safer form of nuclear power generation, has higher thermal efficiency than conventional nuclear plants and USES inert or semi-inert gases (such as helium, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide) as coolant.

The technology was first developed in Germany, but is now being developed in the United States, China and South Africa.

In fact, South Africa's high-tech nuclear technology has been evolving and may be building its first new generation of helium-cooled reactors.

An investment project worth R17 billion will provide a solution to South Africa's electricity problem by 2013. Although the project is just one of many being developed, it will be the world's first commercial high-temperature reactor.

A high-temperature helium gas-cooled reactor, the first of a new generation, is about to be born. It will also build a new experimental reactor at Koeberg outside Cape Town and a pilot fuel plant at Pelindaba near Pretoria.