China approves expansions at three nuclear power plants
China has approved expansion projects at three nuclear power plants, according to a statement from the State Council released on Monday. Six new nuclear power generation units have been approved to expand three existing plants in Shandong province, Fujian province and Liaoning province, according to reporting from state-backed media outlet the Paper. The State Council did not provide information regarding the expected generation capacity of the new nuclear units. Total investment into the new units is estimated at 120 billion yuan ($16.74 billion), according to the Paper. Nuclear power accounts for just around 2.2%, or about 56 gigawatts, of China’s total generation capacity, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. In 2020, China set out plans to increase total nuclear capacity to 70 GW by 2025. The latest announcement comes amid a concerted drive for energy security, as Beijing tries to shore up domestic power supply whilst pursuing the country’s ambitious renewables build-out. Nuclear power generation has a considerably smaller carbon footprint than fossil fuel plants, but can dispatch power more consistently and reliably than weather-dependent renewable sources such as wind or solar. China approved 10 new nuclear projects last year, according to reporting by the Paper. ($1 = 7.1664 Chinese yuan renminbi) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.