Share of nuke energy increased

The country will accelerate the construction of nuclear power plants, particularly in the coastal regions, to ease mounting pressures on coal transportation from the northern regions and electricity transmission from west China, a top energy official said.

The move, which could see nuclear power making up a minimum of 5 percent of the country's total energy mix in 2020, from the current level of less than 2 percent, was announced yesterday by Zhang Guobao, chief of the newly elevated National Energy Bureau.

In 2005, the authorities had planned for the amount to hit 4 percent by 2020.