China Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development Forum observation



As a safe, economical and efficient clean energy, nuclear energy plays a unique role in implementing the new development concept, building a new development pattern, and promoting the clean and low-carbon transformation of China's energy system. In the context of the "double carbon" goal, China's new energy system is speeding up the construction of nuclear energy in the field of power generation, heating and other fields, will also ensure the security of power supply and promote carbon reduction and emission reduction will make positive contributions.

The number of units under construction remains the first in the world

China's nuclear power industry began in the 1970s, and after more than 40 years of uninterrupted development, a complete nuclear energy industry chain system has been formed, including research and development, equipment manufacturing, engineering construction, operation and maintenance, and fuel cycle support.

According to the blue book "China Nuclear Energy Development Report 2023" released by the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, up to now, China has 24 nuclear power units under construction, with a total installed capacity of 26.81 million kilowatts, continuing to maintain the world's first; 54 commercial nuclear power units with a total installed capacity of 56.82 million kilowatts, ranking third in the world. In terms of power generation, the total installed capacity of nuclear power in 2022 accounted for 2.2% of the total installed power capacity of the country, generating 417.78 billion KWH, an increase of 2.5% year-on-year, accounting for about 4.7% of the total power generation of the country.

While the nuclear power project is steadily advancing, China's nuclear power units have also maintained safe and stable operation for a long time.

Wang Yiren, chief expert of the annual report on China's nuclear energy development and former deputy director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, pointed out that China's nuclear power safety operation performance continues to maintain the international advanced level. In 2022, 37 units in China reached full marks in the comprehensive index of the World Nuclear Power Operators Association, accounting for 50% of the world's full marks, which reflects the comprehensive level of nuclear power units in power generation capacity, production efficiency and safety performance. The full score ratio and average composite index of China's nuclear power units are higher than the United States, Russia, France, South Korea and other major nuclear power countries, and better than the average level of global units.

Yang Changli, chairman of China General Nuclear Power (3.200, 0.00, 0.00%) Group Co., LTD., also introduced that China attaches great importance to nuclear safety, always adheres to the policy of "safety first, quality first", and has established a strict nuclear safety supervision system to fully build a solid foundation for safety and quality. For a long time, China's nuclear and radiological safety has maintained good safety performance, with no operational incidents of level 2 or above on the International Nuclear and radiological Event Scale, and the quality of its radiation environment is good.

In addition, the blue book also shows that the level of autonomy and localization of key nuclear power equipment in China has steadily improved, and the manufacturing capacity of nuclear power equipment and the ability to guarantee the industrial chain have been comprehensively improved. In 2022, a total of 54 sets of domestic nuclear power main equipment were delivered, and the delivery quantity reached a new high in nearly five years. Through the implementation of localization of core equipment and parts, and the promotion of high-quality development of nuclear power equipment manufacturing industry, China has formed a complete set of supply capacity of million-kilowatt pressurized water reactor nuclear power main equipment.

Contribute more to green and low-carbon development

Nuclear energy is a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient high-quality energy. While generating electricity, it can also provide diversified services for the low-carbon transformation and development of the economy and society. As at this conference, "comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy" has become a high-frequency word in the discussion and exchange.

When it comes to the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, its application in heating is more well-known.

In this regard, Yang Changli introduced that in recent years, nuclear power enterprises in ensuring safe power generation at the same time, actively explore the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy heating demonstration, in Shandong Haiyang, Zhejiang Qinshan, Liaoning Hongyanhe and other places have achieved a total of 5.6 million square meters of nuclear energy heating, the effect is good, providing a new way for clean heating in the northern region.

In addition, the nuclear power industry is also constantly expanding the extension of comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, and has made many useful attempts in the fields of nuclear energy steam supply and hydrogen production.

"Jiangsu Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant nuclear energy industry steam transformation is advancing in an orderly manner; Nuclear power desalination has provided water security for many nuclear power plants, and commercial nuclear power desalination projects are being explored. Hainan Changjiang multi-purpose modular small reactor demonstration project has entered the nuclear island installation stage, in addition to power generation, will also provide steam and seawater desalination services for surrounding enterprises; A number of provinces, including Jiangsu, Guangdong and Guizhou, are planning and deploying high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and small reactors for comprehensive utilization." When talking about the current progress of the diversified use of nuclear energy in China, Wang Binghua, a special adviser to the Expert Committee of the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, said.

For the significance of the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, in Wang Binghua's view, nuclear energy and its comprehensive utilization has the advantages of significant carbon emission reduction benefits, safety and stability, and is one of the important means to help China achieve the goal of dual carbon.

Wang Binghua said that on the one hand, comprehensive utilization is conducive to improving the efficiency of nuclear energy utilization, the current efficiency of nuclear power generation is about 37%, through the direct use of heat energy, can realize the cascade utilization of energy; On the other hand, to promote the diversified development of the nuclear energy industry, nuclear energy projects will be from the previous single power supply to heating, steam, hydrogen production, seawater desalination, refrigeration and other fields of development, nuclear power enterprises will become comprehensive energy and product service providers, and promote the emergence of new business models.

Wang also expressed his optimism about the prospects of comprehensive use of nuclear energy. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency's World Nuclear Power Reactors report, by the end of 2021, 69 units in 11 countries around the world have achieved one or both of the comprehensive utilization of district heating, industrial heating, and seawater desalination. In terms of nuclear hydrogen production, the United States, France and other nuclear power countries are increasing investment and accelerating the layout. China is also actively promoting the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy in clean heating, industrial heating, seawater desalination and other fields. The comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy is contributing more 'nuclear' power to China's green and low-carbon development." Wang Yiren said.

Nuclear power needs to be built at a certain pace and scale

In the context of the accelerated reshaping of the current global energy pattern, nuclear energy, as a green and low-carbon energy, still has a long way to go in improving the level of energy security, promoting carbon emission reduction, and achieving the goal of carbon peak carbon neutrality.

Huang Feng, director of the Working Committee of the Nuclear Energy Think Tank of the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, predicted that the electricity consumption of the whole society is expected to reach 11.5 trillion KWH in 2030, 13.1 trillion KWH in 2035, and 16 trillion KWH in 2060. In 2060, in order to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, the proportion of non-fossil energy generation in China should reach about 85%, and under the high development goal of 5.85 billion kilowatts of new energy installed capacity such as wind power and solar power (5.570, -0.01, -0.18%), there will still be about 2.8 trillion KWH of non-fossil power generation gap in the country.

"Based on the preliminary analysis of power and electricity demand balance, China's nuclear power (7.690, 0.01, 0.13%) needs to maintain a certain speed and scale of construction in the future." Huang Feng said.

Wang Yiren also expressed a similar view, he believes that China's nuclear power installed capacity is expected to further expand, the use of nuclear energy will play multiple roles. It is expected that by 2030, China's installed capacity of nuclear power is expected to exceed that of the United States and become the first in the world, occupying a more important position in the world nuclear power industry pattern. Based on the research results of many institutions, it is expected that by 2035, China's nuclear power generation will account for about 10% of the total power generation.

At the same time, Wang Yiyan made it clear that China's nuclear energy industry will actively explore and promote the new development model of "nuclear energy +", promote the coupling development of nuclear energy and petrochemical, steel and other energy-consuming industries, and establish a regional comprehensive energy system that integrates power supply, heating, hydrogen production and seawater desalination to support the low-carbon transformation of the national economy.

Yang Changli said that high-quality development is the primary task of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. Promoting green and low-carbon economic and social development is a key link to achieve high-quality development. Promoting the high-quality development of nuclear energy, unswervingly advancing the energy revolution, and comprehensively building a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient new energy system will provide a strong energy guarantee for economic and social development.

In order to promote the high-quality development of nuclear energy, Yang Changli also stressed that it is necessary to ensure the safe development of nuclear energy. He said that with the continuous expansion of the scale, a variety of reactor types and standards coexist, and the development and application of new technologies have put forward higher and more stringent requirements for nuclear safety. It is necessary to better balance development and safety, put nuclear safety above all else in the nuclear energy industry chain, abide by the highest safety and quality standards, strictly implement nuclear safety responsibilities, effectively strengthen the construction of nuclear safety culture, and continue to improve the safety and quality of nuclear power plants in operation and under construction.