Beijing has most ambitious new-build programme globally
China wants to have 10% of its electricity generation sourced from nuclear power by 2035, a double increase from 5% today, according to a China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) official quoted by state news agency Xinhua.
Wang Binhua, director of the CNEA’s nuclear energy public communication committee, said China foresees the nuclear share in its electricity generation to reach 18% by 2060, equivalent to about 400 GW of installed capacity.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) data shows the world’s 410 reactor units in commercial operation constitute about 369 MW of installed capacity today.
Xinhua said that China will aim to “greenlight” between six and eight new nuclear reactor units per year in the “foreseeable future”.
Wang Binhua said China approved the construction of 21 nuclear power units since the beginning of its 14th five-year plan for the period from 2021 to 2025. According to the plan, the government is to have 70 GW of installed nuclear capacity by 2025.
This means a capacity up from 51 GW at the end of 2020 and an increase of more than 40%, after failing to meet its previous target of having 58 GW of installed capacity by 2020.
According to the IAEA, China has 55 commercial reactor units in operation with a combined capacity of 53 GW and an additional 22 new units under construction.
