Development status, challenges and countermeasures

Nuclear energy is a clean, low-carbon, efficient and safe form of energy, which is of great significance to addressing climate change, ensuring energy security and promoting economic and social development. As the world's largest energy consumer and carbon dioxide emitter, China's active development of nuclear energy is an important measure for its energy transformation and carbon peak carbon neutrality. So can China fulfil its nuclear ambitions? What is the current situation and prospect of China's nuclear energy development?

China's nuclear energy development strategy

China's nuclear energy development strategy is formulated under the guidance of the national energy Strategy, aiming to meet the energy needs of the country's economic and social development, ensure national energy security, promote the optimization of the energy structure, achieve clean and low-carbon energy development, improve energy utilization efficiency, enhance international energy cooperation, and safeguard national nuclear energy interests.

China's nuclear energy development strategy has the following characteristics:

On the premise of safety, China adheres to the principle of safety first, constantly improves laws, regulations and regulatory systems on nuclear safety, raises the level and capacity of nuclear safety, strengthens international cooperation on nuclear security, and maintains nuclear security order.

We will take innovation as the driving force, adhere to the policy of independent innovation, strengthen research and development of nuclear energy technology and personnel training, master core nuclear energy technologies, form our own brand of nuclear energy, and enhance the international competitiveness of nuclear energy.

With a demand-oriented approach and a market-oriented approach, the scale and pace of nuclear energy development should be reasonably determined in light of national energy demand and supply, the layout and structure of nuclear energy should be optimized, and the economy and social nature of nuclear energy should be improved.

To ensure coordination, adhere to the concept of coordinated development, coordinate the relationship between nuclear energy and other energy sources, coordinate the relationship between nuclear energy and economic and social development, coordinate the relationship between nuclear energy and environmental protection, and coordinate the relationship between nuclear energy and international cooperation.

In accordance with China's nuclear energy development strategy, China has formulated a medium - and long-term development plan for nuclear power, defining the goals and paths of nuclear power development.

By 2025, China's installed nuclear power capacity will reach 70 million kilowatts, nuclear power generation will account for about 4% of the country's electricity generation, the level of nuclear power technology will reach the international advanced level, the nuclear power industry chain will be improved, the nuclear power safety guarantee capacity will be significantly improved, and the level of international nuclear power cooperation will be further enhanced.

By 2035, China's installed nuclear power capacity will reach 150 million kilowatts, nuclear power generation will account for about 10 percent of the country's electricity generation, nuclear power technology will reach the world's leading level, nuclear power industry chain will be optimized, nuclear power security capabilities will be further enhanced, and international nuclear power cooperation will be deepened.

By the middle of this century, China's installed nuclear power capacity will reach 300 million kilowatts, the proportion of nuclear power generation in the national electricity generation will reach about 15%, the level of nuclear power technology will reach the highest level in the world, the nuclear power industry chain will be coordinated, the nuclear power safety guarantee capacity will be improved, and the level of international nuclear power cooperation will be improved.

Current situation of nuclear energy development in China

China's nuclear energy development has experienced a process from scratch, from small to large, from moderate development to active development, and then to safe and efficient development, and has made remarkable achievements, and has become one of the fastest developing countries in the world.

The scale of nuclear power continues to expand. As of March 2021, the Chinese mainland has 52 nuclear power units in operation, with an installed capacity of 54.389 million kilowatts, and 19 nuclear power units under construction, with an installed capacity of 21.327 million kilowatts, generating 407.138 billion kilowatt-hours of nuclear power in 2021, accounting for 5.1% of the national power generation.

Nuclear power technology continues to innovate. On the basis of absorbing foreign advanced technologies, China has vigorously promoted independent innovation and successfully developed Hualong One, a third-generation nuclear power technology with fully independent intellectual property rights. At present, construction has begun in Fuqing, Fujian Province, and Fangchenggang, Guangxi Province, with smooth progress. In addition, China has independently developed a variety of advanced nuclear power technologies such as CAP1400, ACP1000 and ACPR1000, which have been successfully applied to domestic and foreign nuclear power projects.