Beijing - A Chinese energy official has hinted that the country will adjust its nuclear power development plan, state media reported Saturday. "The golden time for China's nuclear power development has come," Zhou Xi'an, director of the General Affairs Department of the National Energy Administration was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.
Zhou, speaking at the 5th China Energy Strategy Summit in Beijing on Friday, said that China, the world's second-largest energy user, will boost nuclear power development in coastal areas while scientifically planning nuclear power stations inland, the report said.
Under current plans, the government aims to increase nuclear generating capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2020, but local media reports that an increase of this target is being considered.
Experts have agreed that the current target could easily be exceeded.
"We have the ability to raise our nuclear power capacity to at least 60 GW 70 GW is not unthinkable," Fu Manchang, secretary-general of the Chinese Nuclear Society, told the state-run China Daily in an earlier report.
China currently has 11 nuclear reactors at six power plants, with an installed capacity of 9 gigawatts.
According to the government-backed People's Daily, another 22 nuclear reactors are under construction, many using Chinese-developed technology.
Zhou Xi'an also told attendees at the Energy Summit that China should invest more in developing key techniques and component parts for nuclear power equipment, as well as for renewables like wind energy, Xinhua reported.
