China’s nuclear energy program continues in spite of Fukushima

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NY Times – Jiang Kejun, a director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission, the top Chinese economic planning agency, said that the government was sticking to its target of 50 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2015, compared to just 10.8 gigawatts at the end of last year.

Mr. Jiang said in an interview that nuclear power construction targets for 2020 had not yet been set and might end up slightly lower than they would have been without the meltdowns in Fukushima.

At reactors that had been approved before the Fukushima accident but where construction had not yet begun, the government still has not allowed construction to start while continuing to study whether further safety improvements can be made, said Xu Yuanhui, one of China’s top nuclear engineers for the past half century.

The delay applies to several conventional nuclear reactors plus Beijing’s project to build two reactors in northeastern China, using a new generation of technology known as a pebble-bed design. Critics and advocates describe it as safer than current reactors, though its cost-effectiveness unclear.

China’s national power consumption (all types of energy) from January through August, 2011 reached 3,124 TWh, up 11.9 percent on the year.

New reactors expected from World Nuclear association.

IAEA PRIS reactor database


Name           Status         Net    Gross     Connected/Expected
CEFR           Operational    20     25 7/21/2011
GUANGDONG-1    Operational   944    984 8/31/1993
GUANGDONG-2    Operational   944    984 2/7/1994
LINGAO 1       Operational   938    990 2/26/2002
LINGAO 2       Operational   938    990 12/15/2002
LINGAO 3       Operational  1000   1080 7/15/2010
LINGAO 4       Operational  1000   1080 5/3/2011
QINSHAN 1      Operational   298    310 12/15/1991
QINSHAN 2-1    Operational   610    650 2/6/2002
QINSHAN 2-2    Operational   610    650 3/11/2004
QINSHAN 2-3    Operational   610    650 8/1/2010
QINSHAN 3-1    Operational   650    700 11/19/2002
QINSHAN 3-2    Operational   650    700 6/12/2003 
TIANWAN 1      Operational   933   1000 5/12/2006 
TIANWAN 2      Operational   933   1000 5/14/2007 
CHANGJIANG 1   Construction  610    650 2014
CHANGJIANG 2   Construction  610    650 2015
FANGCHENGGANG1 Construction 1000   1087 2015
FANGCHENGGANG2 Construction 1000   1087 2016
FANGJIASHAN 1  Construction 1000   1087 2013
FANGJIASHAN 2  Construction 1000   1087 2014
FUQING 1       Construction 1000   1087 2013
FUQING 2       Construction 1000   1087 2014
FUQING 3       Construction 1000   1087 2015
HAIYANG 1      Construction 1000   1250 2014
HAIYANG 2      Construction 1000   1250 2015
HONGYANHE 1    Construction 1000   1080 2012
HONGYANHE 2    Construction 1000   1080 2013
HONGYANHE 3    Construction 1000   1080 2014
HONGYANHE 4    Construction 1000   1080 2014
NINGDE 1       Construction 1000   1087 2012
NINGDE 2       Construction 1000   1080 2013
NINGDE 3       Construction 1000   1080 2014
NINGDE 4       Construction 1000   1080 2015
QINSHAN 2-4    Construction  610    650 3/28/2012
SANMEN 1       Construction 1000    1250 2013
SANMEN 2       Construction 1000    1250 2014
TAISHAN 1      Construction 1700    1750 2013
TAISHAN 2      Construction 1700    1750 2014
YANGJIANG 1    Construction 1000    1087 2013
YANGJIANG 2    Construction 1000    1087 2014
YANGJIANG 3    Construction 1000    1087 2015
                                   41760  
Hongshiding 1               1000    1080 2015
Taohuajiang 1               1000    1250 2015
Shidaowan                   1000    1080 2015
Yangjiang 4                  200     200 2016
                                   45370

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract has been signed for the second phase of the Tianwan nuclear power plant by two China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) subsidiaries.

Tianwan Phase II –
Tianwan 3 1060 MW (Russian VVER-1000)
Tianwan 4 1060 MW (Russian VVER-1000)

Tianwan Phase III –
Tianwan 5 either Russian VVER-1200 reactors or Chinese CPR-1000 unit
Tianwan 6 either Russian VVER-1200 reactors or Chinese CPR-1000 unit

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