Aim is to add about 20 GW of installed nuclear capacity The Fuqing nuclear power station, where construction of Unit 6 is nearing completion. China is backing the further development of commercial nuclear power as a key tool in its drive to cut carbon emissions, according to the 2021-2025 five-year plan presented on Friday to China’s annual National People’s Congress.

Beijing said it aims to have 70 GW of installed nuclear capacity by 2025 from about 50 GW at the end of 2019. That would equate to about 20 new reactors, 2021-2025, alhough China already has 12 under construction.

China originally aimed to bring its nuclear installed capacity to 58 GW by 2020, but failed to meet the target following a moratorium on new projects following the March 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi accident and delays at a number of Generation III plants that were under construction.

Between 2020 and 2026, 48 power reactors are scheduled to be completed globally and China will lead the way with 12 reactor construction projects. This does not include a number of nuclear plants which have been approved, but where construction has not yet begun. They are Xudabao, Shidaowan and Tianwan-7 and -8.

China already has 50 nuclear reactors in commercial operation, the third highest number behind the US (94) and France (56). In 2019, nuclear energy accounted for 4.9% of the country’s electricity production share, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.