China's nuclear surge: Ten new reactors to eclipse U.S. by 2030
The Chinese authorities have approved the construction of ten new nuclear reactors with a total capacity of about 12,000 megawatts for 200 billion yuan (£21.1 billion), reported the Japanese weekly "Nikkei Asia" on Friday. This means that by 2030, China could become the world leader in nuclear energy production, surpassing the USA.
Eight of the planned units are Hualong One reactors of domestic production, and two are Westinghouse CAP1000 reactors, based on American technology.
The new power plants will be built in five coastal provinces and autonomous regions. They will be managed by state-owned energy companies.
The investment is part of Chinese leader Xi Jinping's strategy to reduce air pollution. In 2020, Xi announced that China would strive to reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2060.
Beijing is also striving to improve the country's energy security and reduce dependence on imports. According to Nikkei Asia, around 70% of China's oil supply comes from abroad.
By the end of 2024, China had 57 reactors with a total capacity of 59.76 gigawatts, placing the country third in the world. Forecasts indicate that by 2030, the capacity of Chinese nuclear power plants will reach 110 gigawatts. Atomic energy constitutes 4.7% of China's energy mix, with the prospect of increasing to 10% by 2040.
According to a report from the American research institute Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the USA has the most nuclear power plants in the world but is 15 years behind China in the development of advanced nuclear energy technology.
