China, South Korea to significantly boost nuclear power generation

09 August 2008

Geographical neighbours and economic giants, the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of Korea  (ROK) have announced ambitious plans to initiate new nuclear power projects or enhance its share significantly in their national energy programmes. South Korea has announced the addition of ten additional nuclear power plants by 2030, which would take the share of nuclear power in the generation of electricity to 41 per cent of domestic demand.

Already the world's second largest energy user, PRC is mulling increasing the share of nuclear power in its installed power-generating capacity to 5 per cent by 2020, an increase of one per cent over its 2007 projection of 4 per cent. It has already announced the construction of new nuclear plants at various locations around the country and for the first time in inland areas.

South Korea's ministry of knowledge economy unveiled new nuclear policy measures on Thursday saying they would boost energy self-reliance and diversify energy sources, acting as a counter to tight global supply and soaring prices of  crude oil and other fossil fuels.

According to the S. Korean ministry under the new plan the new nuclear power plants would  generate 29 per cent of the country's electricity needs by 2020 and take it further to 41 per cent by 2030. South Korea currently operates 20 nuclear power plants that produce 17.72 million kilowatts of power, or 26 per cent of national electricity demand.

Early in the week, China announced that a nuclear plant would be built in its southernmost province of Hainan, a province that had been suffering power shortages since 2006.

Plans have also been finalised to build the country's first inland nuclear power plant in  Xianning City, 421 kilometers southeast of Yichang City where the Three Gorges dam lies.