China plans to operate 110 nuclear reactors by 2030

Asia-Pacific, News December 4, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

BEIJING (China) – By 2030 China is expected to become one of the biggest nuclear energy users in the world with 110 nuclear reactors operational at that point in time, China Daily reported on Thursday.

Nuclear power generation from reactors both under construction and in operation will reach 88 gigawatts by the end of 2020, China Daily reported, citing new energy legislation.

Power Construction Corp of China Ltd, also known as PowerChina, said that the total scale of nuclear power generation from reactors both under construction and in operation in the country will reach 88 gigawatts by the end of 2020, according to estimates in the draft 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) for the power industry.

The Chinese government is currently considering a draft Five-Year Plan for the power industry, covering the years 2016-20.

China has 30 nuclear reactors in operation and another 21 under construction. According to the draft plan, China will allocate $578bn to set up new nuclear plants, aiming to derive 10% its energy from nuclear power by 2030.

With the world’s third-largest known coal reserves, nearly 70% of China’s energy still comes from coal. The population of 1.3 billion burns as much coal as the rest of the world combined, helping China become the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.

China currently has 31 operational nuclear reactors and 21 more are under construction, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.