The Chinese government green-lighted five new nuclear power projects, a record, as the country is boosting nuclear power construction as part of its transition to green and low-carbon energy, analysts said. The newly approved five nuclear power projects included 11 nuclear power units, which utilize a mix of China's self-developed third- and fourth-generation nuclear technologies, with the total investment expected to surpass CNY240 billion, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA). These new reactors will be located in coastal provinces including Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong and the Guangxi region.
One key project is the nuclear energy heating power plant in Xuwei, Jiangsu province, the world's first to combine high-temperature gas-cooled reactors with pressurized water reactors. It will provide low-carbon industrial steam to the Lianyungang petrochemical base and advance the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries, operator China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) said. With groundbreaking scheduled in 2025, the first phase of the project is set to produce 32.5 million tons of industrial steam annually and generate more than 11.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, cutting coal consumption by 7.26 million tons and slashing carbon dioxide emissions by 19.6 million tons, according to the company.
With soaring electricity demand, China is steadily boosting the use of green energy, including nuclear power, Lin Boqiang, Director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, said, noting that “hydropower and nuclear power remain crucial for supporting the low-carbon transition due to the insufficient scale of other renewables.” Despite being a global frontrunner in nuclear power construction, China's support for nuclear energy remains rational and cautious, prioritizing safety, Lin said, as reported by the Global Times.
The South China Morning Post adds that China has been steadily expanding its nuclear power investment over the past five years, with the finished value of investment climbing year by year since 2019, when investment stood at CNY33.5 billion, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA). In 2023, the finished value of investment in nuclear power plants grew by 20% from 2022 to more than CNY90 billion, marking a five-year peak. China operates 55 nuclear power plants, ranking third globally, and with 36 units under construction, it possesses the world’s largest nuclear power construction pipeline. According to the World Nuclear Association, about 60 power reactors are being constructed in 16 counties, with about 50% in China. China’s latest approval followed the release of new green-transition guidelines by the State Council, which vowed to accelerate the construction of green energy bases, including nuclear power plants in coastal areas, wind and solar farms in the northwest and thermal power plants in the southwest. China has set a goal of reaching peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. It aims to raise the share of non-fossil fuel consumption to 25% by 2030, and gradually reduce coal consumption in the next five years. China’s nuclear power units generated 433.3 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2023, contributing around 5% of the nation’s power supply and replacing over 123.3 million tons of coal, according to the China Nuclear Energy Association.
