commercial nuclear power plants based on experimental studies. In 1991, the
300,000 kW Qinshan Phase I nuclear power plant, developed in China, was
connected to the grid for power generation, ending the history of zero nuclear
power in mainland China and making it the seventh country in the world to
independently design and build a nuclear power plant.
In the 1990s, electricity supply in China was relatively plentiful. Nuclear energy
was positioned as a “supplement to our country’s energy,” and development policies
were moderate. At the end of 2004, China had built a total of six units, including two
Qinshan units, with an installed capacity of 4.7 million kilowatts, and three nuclear
power bases in Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces.
Since 2004, electricity supply has gradually become a bottleneck limiting economic and social development in China; an important role for nuclear power in
China’s sustainable energy development has gradually emerged. Today, China is a
net importer of coal resources and has become more dependent on foreign countries
for crude oil. Due to instability, such as wars with oil suppliers, risks to oil imports in
terms of volume and price have increased, and energy security in China will become
increasingly threatened. As a source of renewable energy, nuclear can completely
avoid security issues associated with imports of oil and gas energy, making it an
integral part of advancing the energy security strategy. In March 2006, the State
Council created the Nuclear Medium and Long-Term Development Plan
(2005–2020), which established the strategic position of nuclear power in sustainable economic and energy development in China, announcing a target of 40 million
kW of nuclear power generation by 2020. The nuclear industry has changed from
moderate to aggressive development, entering a new phase of large-scale
exploitation.
In addition to securing energy resources, China must address environmental
issues such as air pollution and reducing CO 2 emissions (China is currently the
world’s largest CO 2 emitter). There are great expectations for the potential of nuclear
power to solve global environmental problems such as overcoming pollution and
climate change.
However, 5 days after the Fukushima nuclear accident on March 11, 2011, the
State Council conducted a safety inspection of all nuclear reactors in the country. In
2012, the Nuclear Safety Law was included in the legislative plan of the National
People’s Congress, which came into effect in January 2018. China has not changed
its original policy position of nuclear power expansion in the aftermath of the
Fukushima nuclear accident.
At the end of December 2019, a total of 48 research and first-critical reactors were
in operation in China (Fig. 11.5). If all reactors currently in construction (10) and
planning (42) phases are completed, a maximum of 100 reactors could be in
commercial operation by 2030. As shown in Fig. 11.5, China ranks third in terms
of the number of operating reactors out of 31 countries with nuclear power, behind
the United States (96 reactors) and France (58 reactors) (IAEA-PRIS 2019). The
share of nuclear power in annual power generation in China is expected to increase
from 1.8% in 2010 to 4.1% in 2018 and 5% in 2020 (cumulative power generation of
1 trillion kWh). Abandoning nuclear power at this stage would be difficult, as it is a
208
W. Zhou et al.
300,000 kW Qinshan Phase I nuclear power plant, developed in China, was
connected to the grid for power generation, ending the history of zero nuclear
power in mainland China and making it the seventh country in the world to
independently design and build a nuclear power plant.
In the 1990s, electricity supply in China was relatively plentiful. Nuclear energy
was positioned as a “supplement to our country’s energy,” and development policies
were moderate. At the end of 2004, China had built a total of six units, including two
Qinshan units, with an installed capacity of 4.7 million kilowatts, and three nuclear
power bases in Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces.
Since 2004, electricity supply has gradually become a bottleneck limiting economic and social development in China; an important role for nuclear power in
China’s sustainable energy development has gradually emerged. Today, China is a
net importer of coal resources and has become more dependent on foreign countries
for crude oil. Due to instability, such as wars with oil suppliers, risks to oil imports in
terms of volume and price have increased, and energy security in China will become
increasingly threatened. As a source of renewable energy, nuclear can completely
avoid security issues associated with imports of oil and gas energy, making it an
integral part of advancing the energy security strategy. In March 2006, the State
Council created the Nuclear Medium and Long-Term Development Plan
(2005–2020), which established the strategic position of nuclear power in sustainable economic and energy development in China, announcing a target of 40 million
kW of nuclear power generation by 2020. The nuclear industry has changed from
moderate to aggressive development, entering a new phase of large-scale
exploitation.
In addition to securing energy resources, China must address environmental
issues such as air pollution and reducing CO 2 emissions (China is currently the
world’s largest CO 2 emitter). There are great expectations for the potential of nuclear
power to solve global environmental problems such as overcoming pollution and
climate change.
However, 5 days after the Fukushima nuclear accident on March 11, 2011, the
State Council conducted a safety inspection of all nuclear reactors in the country. In
2012, the Nuclear Safety Law was included in the legislative plan of the National
People’s Congress, which came into effect in January 2018. China has not changed
its original policy position of nuclear power expansion in the aftermath of the
Fukushima nuclear accident.
At the end of December 2019, a total of 48 research and first-critical reactors were
in operation in China (Fig. 11.5). If all reactors currently in construction (10) and
planning (42) phases are completed, a maximum of 100 reactors could be in
commercial operation by 2030. As shown in Fig. 11.5, China ranks third in terms
of the number of operating reactors out of 31 countries with nuclear power, behind
the United States (96 reactors) and France (58 reactors) (IAEA-PRIS 2019). The
share of nuclear power in annual power generation in China is expected to increase
from 1.8% in 2010 to 4.1% in 2018 and 5% in 2020 (cumulative power generation of
1 trillion kWh). Abandoning nuclear power at this stage would be difficult, as it is a
208
W. Zhou et al.