China to open nuclear industry to investment

To help meet the country’s growing demand for electricity, China will boost nuclear-power generation by opening the industry to private and foreign investors.

China’s draft nuclear-energy law is being revised so that domestic and foreign companies can invest in the country’s nuclear-power-generating projects but cannot hold a controlling stake, said Wang Yiren, a senior official with the State Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense Industry.
According to China’s longer-term development plan for the nuclear

power industry, capacity will increase to 40 million kilowatts in 2020, with construction work beginning on at least three nuclear power-generating units in each of the coming 10 years.

Currently, there are 10 commercial nuclear power-generating units operational in China, including the No 1 unit at the Tianwan nuclear power station in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, which came on stream on May 17. Their combined installed capacity stands at 8 million kilowatts.

Asia Times