technically solvable and a plant’s technical safety
level can be assessed. Second, effective technical
protection measures are taken against radiation
hazards during the whole nuclear energy project
cycle—site selection, design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. The same applies to the fuel cycle—
exploration, mining, milling, conversion,
enrichment, fabrication, power generation and
waste disposal.
(2) Nuclear power safety strategies in the new
era
The objectives of China’s nuclear energy programme are national safety, energy security and
environmental protection. To achieve these goals
China should develop an advanced and
world-class nuclear power industry that operates
at the highest levels of safety, technological
innovation, closed nuclear fuel cycle systems,
and environmental protection.
The first priority is energy development.
China will fight two battles during the energy
transition for a long time to come. The first battle
is to meet energy demand while completing the
processes of industrialisation and urbanisation.
The second battle is to cope with the increasing
pressure to safeguard the environment. This
means that China desperately needs clean energy.
Nuclear power is indispensable to China’s
development.
The second priority is environmental protection. The policy of safety first is the key to public
and environmental safety. Nuclear accidents are
sudden, extremely impactful and hard to recover
from. Safety requirements are far stricter in
nuclear power than in other types of energy.
A nuclear accident would jeopardise not only the
momentum of the nuclear power industry in
China, but also social and political stability.
China has promised the international community
that it will uphold its national responsibility for
nuclear safety.
Third, an industry-wide nuclear power safety
system needs to be established. Safety risks could
be present during the whole process of nuclear
energy development, generation and use,
involving all participants in the value chain.
Independent safety supervision is an important
measure to ensure safety. But ultimately, safety
comes from great site selection, design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation
and decommissioning. The same factors ensure a
high level of plant availability and power supply
and a sharper competitive edge for China’s
nuclear power industry.
The objectives of independence should be
realised by relying on industry projects to
enhance China’s nuclear power technologies and
equipment manufacture. Nuclear power regulations need to be developed and improved, and the
nuclear power safety management mechanism
put in place and optimised. The nuclear power
safety supervision system needs to be improved
for plants under construction and in service.
A national nuclear accident response mechanism
should be established to enhance China’s emergency response capabilities. A national nuclear
energy technology innovation programme consisting of key technologies, equipment, demonstration projects and technical innovation
platforms needs to be established. Advanced
pressurised water reactors in the million-kilowatt
category should be mainstream, and efforts
should be made to develop new technologies like
high temperature gas-cooled reactors, fast reactors and small modular reactors. Nuclear fuel
supply and spent fuel treatment systems should
be improved to secure nuclear power’s long-term
development.
Fourth, environmental safety standards for
nuclear power need to be explored. Exploring
environmental safety standards in nuclear power
is an historical mission for China to be among the
world’s best. China is expected to reach this top
level in third-generation technology. The countries at the peak of nuclear power technology are
being replaced—Russia and South Korea’s
nuclear power technologies are still highly rated
in the global market, and China has started to
enter the UK’s nuclear power market.
Environmental safety standards are an
important step from industrial to ecological
civilisation. The development of environmental
safety standards will be an important phase in the
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
373
level can be assessed. Second, effective technical
protection measures are taken against radiation
hazards during the whole nuclear energy project
cycle—site selection, design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. The same applies to the fuel cycle—
exploration, mining, milling, conversion,
enrichment, fabrication, power generation and
waste disposal.
(2) Nuclear power safety strategies in the new
era
The objectives of China’s nuclear energy programme are national safety, energy security and
environmental protection. To achieve these goals
China should develop an advanced and
world-class nuclear power industry that operates
at the highest levels of safety, technological
innovation, closed nuclear fuel cycle systems,
and environmental protection.
The first priority is energy development.
China will fight two battles during the energy
transition for a long time to come. The first battle
is to meet energy demand while completing the
processes of industrialisation and urbanisation.
The second battle is to cope with the increasing
pressure to safeguard the environment. This
means that China desperately needs clean energy.
Nuclear power is indispensable to China’s
development.
The second priority is environmental protection. The policy of safety first is the key to public
and environmental safety. Nuclear accidents are
sudden, extremely impactful and hard to recover
from. Safety requirements are far stricter in
nuclear power than in other types of energy.
A nuclear accident would jeopardise not only the
momentum of the nuclear power industry in
China, but also social and political stability.
China has promised the international community
that it will uphold its national responsibility for
nuclear safety.
Third, an industry-wide nuclear power safety
system needs to be established. Safety risks could
be present during the whole process of nuclear
energy development, generation and use,
involving all participants in the value chain.
Independent safety supervision is an important
measure to ensure safety. But ultimately, safety
comes from great site selection, design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation
and decommissioning. The same factors ensure a
high level of plant availability and power supply
and a sharper competitive edge for China’s
nuclear power industry.
The objectives of independence should be
realised by relying on industry projects to
enhance China’s nuclear power technologies and
equipment manufacture. Nuclear power regulations need to be developed and improved, and the
nuclear power safety management mechanism
put in place and optimised. The nuclear power
safety supervision system needs to be improved
for plants under construction and in service.
A national nuclear accident response mechanism
should be established to enhance China’s emergency response capabilities. A national nuclear
energy technology innovation programme consisting of key technologies, equipment, demonstration projects and technical innovation
platforms needs to be established. Advanced
pressurised water reactors in the million-kilowatt
category should be mainstream, and efforts
should be made to develop new technologies like
high temperature gas-cooled reactors, fast reactors and small modular reactors. Nuclear fuel
supply and spent fuel treatment systems should
be improved to secure nuclear power’s long-term
development.
Fourth, environmental safety standards for
nuclear power need to be explored. Exploring
environmental safety standards in nuclear power
is an historical mission for China to be among the
world’s best. China is expected to reach this top
level in third-generation technology. The countries at the peak of nuclear power technology are
being replaced—Russia and South Korea’s
nuclear power technologies are still highly rated
in the global market, and China has started to
enter the UK’s nuclear power market.
Environmental safety standards are an
important step from industrial to ecological
civilisation. The development of environmental
safety standards will be an important phase in the
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
373