China's installed capacity of nuclear power will reach 40 million kilowatts by 2020, accounting for 4 percent of the total installed capacity of the country, said sources with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Monday.

By then, nuclear power will account for 6 percent of the total generating capacity of the country. This means than China will have to build about 30-million-kilowatt nuclear power units and invest 400 billion yuan (48.3 billion US dollars) in the next 15 years, said Kang Rixin, General Manager of the CNNC.

Launched in the 1980's, China has 19 nuclear power generating units that are complete, under construction or received building clearance. With an installed capacity of 16 million kilowatts, nuclear power accounts for 2.3 percent of the country's total generating capacity.

As for technological adoption, Kang said that the CNNC will insist on its own technological capacity as well as cooperating with overseas counterparts.

By importing advanced technology from overseas, CNNC will try to realize the localization of those technologies, said Kang.

China's choice for nuclear power is decided by its economic development and natural resources distribution, said Kang.

According to Kang, building nuclear power generation plants in China's eastern and southern coastal regions, which boast the prosperous economy but scarce energy resources, is the best choice for China. The construction will help relieve the tense situation in energy supply and demand, improve its energy supply and use structure and to improve the environments of the country.

He also emphasized that the goal to have the installed capacityof nuclear power accounting for 4 percent of the total of the country is just a phase objective of China based on its economic development, processing capability and technological level.

Nuclear power generation should have a due role but not a key role in relieving China's tense energy demand and supply situation.While increasing the energy supply capacity and efficient use of energy resources is more important for China, said Kang.

According to Kang, China has designed a program for nuclear power development which has a balanced plan and overall objective for China's nuclear waste disposal and treatment.

As for the issues of nuclear power safety, Kang said that all nuclear generation plants in China were built in strict compliance with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency of the UN and other related international institutions. So the safety of China's nuclear power plants is ensured, said Kang.

China now has nine nuclear generation units in operation including five in Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in east China's Zhejiang Province and four in Daya Bay and Ling Ao Nuclear Power Plant in south China's Guangdong Province.

The two units in Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant of east China's Jiangsu Province is under construction. The two units in Qinshan Phase II, the two units in Lingdong Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong, the two units in Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant in Zhejiang and the two units in Yangjiang of Guangdong has got the permission from the central government to be built.

Source: Xinhua