Nuclear plants to get the nod

By ZHAO YINAN/DU JUAN (China Daily) Updated: 2014-04-21 07:31

Major projects to ensure power supply in coastal areas, boost economic growth

China is quickening its approvals for nuclear energy and will launch projects in coastal areas to ensure energy security and economic growth, according to the State Energy Commission.

In a statement released on Sunday, the commission said it discussed strategic problems in the development of the energy resources industry as well as some major projects.

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The launch of new projects will resume at the proper time and will adopt the highest international safety standards, according to the commission, which met on Friday.

The latest approvals of nuclear plants and other energy projects are part of the government's plan to push economic growth with minimal measures.

As the fastest-growing atomic energy nation, China will launch another 8.6GW of capacity for nuclear power this year, according to the National Energy Administration.

That is in stark contrast to the two reactors with 2.1GW of capacity approved in 2013.

Even so, experts argue that the country's reliance on nuclear power is still small. Its 20 reactors in operation contributed only 1.2 percent of the country's energy use in 2013, much lower than the world's average of 9.8 percent.

Lin Boqiang, director of the Xiamen-based China Center for Energy Economic Research, said the central government has sent a clear signal that it is hastening the approval process of nuclear plants, which can increase clean power generation.

Considering that wind and solar power still account for a small percentage of the country's power generation, nuclear power is the most effective choice for China, said Lin.