US companies hope to offer China advanced technology for the construction and operation of safe and economic nuclear power plants.

"All US nuclear power companies hope to offer China state-of- the-art technology in safety, reliability and economic plant operation," said Joe Colvin, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute which has organized US companies to participate in the ongoing International Nuclear Industry Exhibition in Beijing.

Three US nuclear power plant manufacturers -- ABB Combustion Engineering, General Electric and Westinghouse -- are attending the exhibition.

The heads of the three companies agreed that the exhibition offers them an opportunity to demonstrate their technology and seek cooperation with the Chinese side.

There are 103 nuclear reactors in the United States, accounting for one fourth of the world's total. In 1999, nuclear power worldwide generated 723 billion kwh of electricity.