China eyes to build six to eight plants yearly for the next five years. (Photo : Wikipedia)
To meet the need for clean energy, China announced its target of operating 110 nuclear power plants by 2030. The country eyes to build six to eight plants yearly for the next five years.
A total of 50 billion yuan will be used as an investment for the domestically developed facilities, according to a report by the China Times.
For Zhou Dadi, vice director of the China Energy Research Society, China has the capability to reach the said target. "After decades of development, China boasts advanced technology and valuable experience to build more nuclear power plants," he remarked.
According to the report, the government intends to increase China's electricity generation capacity to 58 gigawatts in five years' time. The figure if thrice the 2014 statistic.
Meanwhile, the targeted 110 nuclear power plants are expected to overtake the number of plants operated by the United States.
Back in 2011, the Chinese authorities have halted nuclear power plant approvals after the Fukushima accident in Japan.
However, as pointed out by a nuclear safety expert, the urgent need for clean energy in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and meet increasing power demand has prompted the government to look into the development of nuclear ventures.
Zhou revealed that China generates only around 2 percent of its electricity from nuclear power hubs, way below the global average of 14 percent.
The official, nonetheless, noted that the government is beefing up its efforts to develop nuclear endeavors, citing that these projects can make China less dependent on imported energy like gas and oil.
Zhou also assured that the Chinese government is giving great importance to the safety risks posed by nuclear power plants.
