The chairman of one of China’s top nuclear energy firms expects a massive surge of atomic plants in the coming decades to help the nation meet its decarbonization goals.
China’s nuclear fleet would grow to 400 gigawatts by 2060, and account for about 18 percent of the nation’s generation, China General Nuclear Power Group Co chairman Yang Changli (楊長利) said at an industry event yesterday, Shanghai Securities News reported.
That is more than the current global fleet of nuclear plants and about seven times China’s capacity, which provides about 5 percent of the nation’s electricity.
China is leading a nuclear renaissance that has seen nations — including the UK — turn to the technology in a bid to reach climate goals while meeting power needs.
The Asian nation increased nuclear approvals in recent years; last year, it approved 10 new reactors, which are each typically larger than 1 gigawatt.
Yang’s forecast would require a clear step up in the nation’s already ambitious building program, with more than 9 gigawatts of additional nuclear capacity needed every year through 2060.
Annual additions peaked at 7.6 gigawatts in 2016 and have averaged 4.3 gigawatts over the past decade.
Still, Yang’s outlook is not out of line with the most ambitious targets for what is needed for China to reach net zero emissions by 2060.
Researchers at Tsinghua University forecast that nuclear energy would meet 19 percent of the country’s generation by 2060, similar to Yang’s goal.
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