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China ‘must power up nuclear plans’ to meet carbon neutral targets
- Industry observers say Fukushima disaster and problems with third-generation design held back capacity growth
- A fourth generation of plants could be a game changer, former lead developer says
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China needs to ramp up its nuclear power capacity if it wants to meet its carbon neutral target by 2060 and after missing its 2020 goal, according to energy analysts.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the country’s ambitious target to be carbon neutral in the next four decades in a video address to the United Nations General Assembly in September.
China is the world’s third-biggest nuclear power producer by capacity, with 49 nuclear reactors in operation and 51 gigawatts of capacity by the end of last year. China also leads the world in terms of nuclear supply under construction, with another 19 being built to add 20.9GW to the total, according to the China Nuclear Energy Association.
But the country’s target – which the State Council approved in 2012 – was to have 58GW in service and 30GW under construction by the start of this year.
China fell short because Beijing did not approve any new reactors from 2016 to 2018 in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster in Japan and slow progress in the development of third-generation reactors, – Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology and China’s Hualong One design.
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