The Chinese government is set to resume approvals for the construction of coastal nuclear power plants, having suspended approvals and licensing for all new reactor projects in 2011. The National Development and Reform Commission - NDRC - announced plans on 4 December for the development of unspecified number of nuclear power plant projects along China eastern coast. NDRC secretary general Li Pumin said that construction of the plants would be carried out under strict safety protocols.
Just days after the Fukushima accident in Japan in March 2011, the China State Council decided to halt approvals and licensing for new reactors until a safety plan was in place and there was assurance that existing plants were adequately designed, sited, protected and managed. It also suspended work on four approved units - Fuqing units 4, 5 and 6, and Yangjiang unit 4 - due to start construction in 2011. The Shandong Shidaowan HTR-PM project, although ready for first concrete, was also delayed. Power generation continued at reactors in operation at the time, as did construction of the 25 units then approved.
In October 2012, premier Wen Jiabao announced that China would steadily return to normal construction of new nuclear power plants, based on a steady advance in an orderly manner. The construction of previously approved projects began shortly afterwards.
China currently has 21 nuclear power reactors in operation with a combined capacity of 19,095 MWe. A further 27 units, with a combined capacity of almost 30,000 MWe are under construction.
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