Report: China to Build 10 AP1000 Reactors

China is reportedly looking to build 10 nuclear reactors using AP1000 technology, including the four under construction at Sanmen in coastal Zhejiang province and at Haiyang, Shandong province.

An official unnamed “for security issues” told the China Daily that the technology will be used on six reactors at three inland nuclear plants in Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi provinces.

The official also told the newspaper that future inland projects are also to use the same technology, and that Chinese authorities were considering the AP1000 as a standard.

China is currently building 23 nuclear power units to meet its skyrocketing power demand. The country’s power generation has averaged over 12.5 billion kWh, and last week it hit a record of 12.9 billion kWh. The July 5 figure was reportedly 6% above the highest level, recorded last year on July 21.

State-run news agency Xinhua quoted China’s energy chief, Zhang Guobao, as saying that the country’s supply and demand balance would be tight, but that no problems were anticipated since generators had ample coal stocks and hydropower generation was up 30% year on year.

For more on China’s power generation profile, see "China: A World Powerhouse" in our July issue.

Sources: China Daily, Xinhua