China's largest nuclear plant gets under way

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-17 07:57

YANGJIANG, Guangdong - Construction of the country's largest nuclear power plant got under way on Tuesday.

The 70 billion yuan ($10 billion) project was approved by the State Council on Nov 12, an official with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNPG), the State-owned nuclear energy investor, said.

The plant is expected to contribute more than 100 billion yuan in GDP growth and create thousands of jobs in Yangjiang, a less developed city in western Guangdong province, the company said.

Shu Guogang, general manager of China Nuclear Power Engineering Co, a CGNPG subsidiary, which is building the 6,000 megawatt plant said it will be completed by 2017.

It will have six generators, two of which should be operational by 2013, he said.

Once completed, the plant will supply 45 billion kWh of electricity each year.

Since 2003, more than 4 billion yuan has been spent on preparatory work for the plant, CGNPG said.

"It will reinforce Guangdong's leading position in the nation in developing safe, clean and efficient nuclear energy, which will help optimize the energy structure of the province," Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong, said at a ceremony to mark the start of construction.

Zhang Guobao, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the country will continue to accelerate construction of its nuclear power stations as an important measure to maintain stable economic growth in the face of the global slowdown.

"Though a huge amount of money is invested in constructing a nuclear power station, it benefits several industries, for machinery and equipment, raw materials and construction, which stimulate domestic demand," he said.

The plant will use China's independently developed nuclear technology - CPR-1000 - which is already being used in 20 of the country's 22 nuclear generators at seven plants.

About 80 percent of the equipment at the new plant will be sourced domestically, Shu said.

Construction of another CCPNG nuclear plant in Taishan, Guangdong, which will adapt third-generation technology from France, is expected to start next year.

China's nuclear power program has been on the fast track since 2005, with the aim to have a total installed capacity of 40,000 megawatts by 2020.