China's Installed Capacity of Nuclear Power to Reach 70 Gigawatts by 2020

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In order to achieve a stronger proportion of new energies in total energy consumption, China will accelerate the construction of energy projects in the future. China is currently working on the adjustment scheme for the plan, according to Wu Yin, vice director of the National Energy Administration. He was speaking at the Energy, Economy and Development Forum 2010, held by the State Grid Energy Research Institute in Beijing on January 31, 2010.

As reported, China plans to increase the proportion of new energies in total energy consumption to 5% in 2020. To achieve this objective, China's installed capacity of nuclear power will reach at least 70 gigawatts by that time, based on the most conservative estimate. In the case of a higher energy demand, the installed capacity of nuclear power would reach 80 gigawatts in 2020.

The current speed for nuclear power development in China is about six to seven units per year. This speed will be maintained in future years. Among those units under construction or planning are second- and third-generation (G2 and G3) reactors. Following the smooth progression in the localization of G3 technology, more nuclear power units will be built in the future.

Wu Yin also disclosed that the development of new energies, such as wind power and biomass energy, would be accelerated. By 2030, new energy will play an alternative role in the entire energy system, and become an important part of the energy system by 2050.

China currently has a total installed capacity of 9.1 gigawatts in operation, accounting for about 1.1% of the total in installed capacity and about 2% of the total in power generation output, which is far below the global average level of about 17%. So far, China has 24 nuclear power units under construction with a total capacity of 25.4 gigawatts, which received approval from the National Development and Reform Commission, ranking the top in the world.

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