China Aims to Add 60 Gigawatts of Nuclear Generating Capacity by 2020

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is considering revising an earlier target of adding 40 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear generating capacity by 2020 to 60 GW. An official of the Chinese Academy of Science said nuclear power is the first choice to deal with climate change and also an irreplaceable choice to realize sustainable power supply.

China currently has only 9 GW of nuclear power capacity, accounting for only 1.3% of its total power generating capacity. Nuclear power accounts for 16% of the world's total power generating capacity.

The NDRC said in November that China would begin construction of a series of large energy projects by the end of this year in order to boost domestic demand to hedge the impact of the current financial crisis.

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation (Shenzhen, Guangdong province), one of the country's top nuclear power developers, is developing 20 GW of nuclear power projects worth nearly $29 billion. Other projects to start construction include three nuclear power plants -- in Fujian, Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces -- for a total of 101,000 MW.

In March, China's government reorganized its cabinet at the National People's Congress. The management of nuclear sector was transferred from the former Commission of Science and Technology and Industry for National Defense to the National Energy Administration.

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