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Nuclear energy plants to power up
By Xiao Wan (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-06 10:42

As the world's fastest growing economy and the second largest energy consumer, China is looking more to nuclear power for a balanced mix of energy generating methods.

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South China'sGuangdongProvince plans to have a gross production capacity of 24 gigawatts from nuclear power by the year 2020, according to provincial officials.

Last year Guangdong announced that it has selected 10 new sites for building nuclear power stations, four in western Guangdong, three in the northern region and the rest in eastern Guangdong. The projects are now awaiting central government approval, as preparation work has already begun on some of the sites.

China has become the third-biggest nuclear energy producer in Asia, after Japan and South Korea, according a 2006 BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Nuclear power has become the third important method of electricity generation in China, following coal power and hydropower.

The country's nine completed nuclear power generating units now account for about 2.3 percent of the total power output of China. The nation plans to increase nuclear generating capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2020, when nuclear power is projected to account for 4 percent of the nation's total generating capacity.

"China has seen a transition for its nuclear power industry, from appropriate development to accelerated development," said Han Wenke, deputy director of the Energy Research Institute under theNational Development and Reform Commission.


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