China is on course to lead the world in the deployment of nuclear power technology by 2030. Should it succeed, China will assume global leadership in nuclear technology development, industrial capacity, and nuclear energy governance.
SUMMARY
China is on course to lead the world in the deployment of nuclear power technology by 2030. Should it succeed, China will assume global leadership in nuclear technology development, industrial capacity, and nuclear energy governance. The impacts will be strategic and broad, affecting nuclear safety, nuclear security, nonproliferation, energy production, international trade, and climate mitigation. Especially critical is whether China achieves an industrial-scale transition from current nuclear technologies to advanced systems led by fast neutron reactors that recycle large amounts of plutonium fuel.
China’s Electricity Policy Challenges
After having consumed very little electricity for a century, China’s 1.4 billion people consume more power today than any country in the world. Though per capita consumption is still only one-third of the West, China’s appetite will keep increasing, driven by government policies favoring urbanization and cleaner appliances and vehicles. If future demand increases by half the historical rate since modernization, China’s tremendous power consumption may double in two decades.
In response, China aims to diversify away from the coal firing that accounts for most of its electricity production. Beijing has pledged to clean the air in China’s still-growing megacities by the 2030s and coal’s ecological balance in China is woeful. Though China will pursue many noncarbon options, Beijing sees nuclear energy as an important base load power source that is available, economic, and reliable.
China’s Electricity Policy Challenges
After having consumed very little electricity for a century, China’s 1.4 billion people consume more power today than any country in the world. Though per capita consumption is still only one-third of the West, China’s appetite will keep increasing, driven by government policies favoring urbanization and cleaner appliances and vehicles. If future demand increases by half the historical rate since modernization, China’s tremendous power consumption may double in two decades.
In response, China aims to diversify away from the coal firing that accounts for most of its electricity production. Beijing has pledged to clean the air in China’s still-growing megacities by the 2030s and coal’s ecological balance in China is woeful. Though China will pursue many noncarbon options, Beijing sees nuclear energy as an important base load power source that is available, economic, and reliable.
Table of Contents
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The Future of Nuclear Power in China: Introduction
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China’s Choice for Nuclear Power and a Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle
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A Three-Step Strategy: Technology Options and Challenges
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Electricity Policy and Economics
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Other Issues Critical to Chinese Decisionmaking
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Conclusions and Outlook
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The Future of Nuclear Power in China: Glossary of Terms
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The Future of Nuclear Power in China: List of Abbreviations