China will have nuclear power play an increasingly important role in its energy supply. Nuclear power is set to become a "pillar" in the power supply in developed coastal areas.

China has a plan to build some 40 nuclear generation units with the capacity of 36 million to 40 million kilowatts or 4 percent of the total capacity in place in 15 years in the country. This indicates China will take a more aggressive, rather than prudent, attitude toward its nuclear power generation.

Preparations, including bidding, for the four major nuclear power projects, two in Guangdong, one in Qishan and one in Zhejiang, are proceeding on schedule.

Zhang Fubao, an official with the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for Naitonal Defense, made all those remarks in Shanghai on April 6 at the 6th International Nuclear Power Industry Exhibition.

It is predicable that China will become the world��s largest market for nuclear power. There are 11 nuclear power plants in China which generates less than 1 percent of the total supply for the country. China has a full-fledged nuclear industry and improved its basic research and application of nuclear energy.

Zhang also disclosed that China was working on the studies of heat reactor and fast breeder reactor (FBR). This will pave the way for the sustained development of China��s nuclear energy after 2020.

China is one of the few countries in the world depending heavily on coal which contributes 67 percent of energy consumption.

By People's Daily Online