Feb 3 2004
Although unrelated, two recent announcements in power generation and chip production underline the burgeoning strength of the Chinese economy.
ALSTOM, in consortium with Beijing Beizhong Steam Turbine Generator Co. Ltd, has been awarded two contracts, valued at around € 180 million - with an ALSTOM share of approximately € 90 million - to supply six steam turbine generators in China with a total output of 3600 MW.
The first order, placed by Guodian Hebei Longshan Power Station, is for the supply of two steam turbine generators, of 600 MW each. They will be installed at the Guodian Hebei Longshan power plant, located in Hubei Province.
The first steam turbine unit will be delivered in May 2006 and is scheduled to enter commercial operation one year later. The second steam turbine unit will be delivered in November 2006.
The second order, placed by China Electric Power International Corporation, is for the supply of four supercritical 600 MW steam turbine generators.
Two units will be installed at the Pingwei power plant located in Anhui Province and two at the Huangang power station in Hubei Province.
No doubt this power generation capability will be required to power the state of the art chip foundries purchased by Shanghai based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.
Applied Materials, Inc. has shipped its copper CMP* system to Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), a leading chip foundry in Shanghai, China.
The Applied Mirra Mesa(R) CMP system purchased by SMIC will be used for the production of copper-based logic chips on 200mm wafers.
"SMIC's choice of Applied Materials' CMP technology for their copper devices is very gratifying," said Russell Ellwanger, vice president and general manager of Applied Materials' Planarization and Plating Business Group. "Our 200mm Mirra Mesa and 300mm Reflexion CMP systems are playing a key role as customers transition their most advanced designs to copper/low k device production."
Established in April 2000, SMIC is one of China's most advanced foundries, with three 200mm fabs in volume production in Shanghai and a 300mm facility currently under construction in Beijing.
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