China's nuclear power build-up moving too fast

China's ambitious nuclear power programme needs to proceed more cautiously to ensure the industry's long-term future. -- PHOTO: AP

BEIJING - CHINA'S ambitious nuclear power programme needs to proceed more cautiously to ensure the industry's long-term future is not damaged by safety risks, fuel shortages, untrained personnel and low domestic manufacturing capacity, researchers with a cabinet think tank said.

Scholars at the State Council Research Office said China needed to 'prevent local governments and enterprises from building too many nuclear projects too quickly in disregard of macro conditions', adding that any new capacity target for 2020 should be kept below 70 gigawatts.

'If the current development trend continues and too many projects are built too quickly, it could harm the long-term healthy development of nuclear power,' they said in a commentary carried by Outlook Weekly magazine, published by the official Xinhua news agency.

Though it may not reflect China's official position, the commentary could add weight to concerns about the speed and scale of China's breakneck nuclear reactor plans over the next decade.

Many in the industry have been lobbying the government to double the previous target of 40 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2020, but 80 GW would still not be enough to satisfy the demands of companies and regions desperate for a share of the country's lucrative reactor programme, the researchers said.

China has 13 reactors currently in operation, with a total generating capacity of 10.8 gigawatts, but an additional 32 units - with a capacity of almost 35 gigawatts - have already been approved by the government. -- REUTERS