China Announces Plan for $7.5 billion Nuclear Power Plant
China’s total power consumption in the first quarter of this year grew by 12%. It may be more but the meter readers couldn’t see through the smoot caused by the burning coal.
China sees nuclear power as a clean alternative to its abundant but dirty coal resources. Did I say coal was dirty?
China’s state-owned China National Nuclear Corp. will be the builder for the new plant set for Yueyang, a city in Hunan province – a second for the province.
The city, Taohuajiang, about 100km (62mi) from Yueyang and also in Hunan announced a plan to build a nuclear power plant earlier this year.
The difference – Taohuajiang will be built using Chinese technology.
The Yueyang plant will be taking bids from U.S., European, Russian and Japanese suitors.
I firmly believe that if and it’s a big IF nuclear power plants are managed properly, they are indeed a reasonable alternative to burning fossil fuels.
China apparently thinks so, too.
What do you think?
Big IF indeed. Considering China’s record on environmental management, nuclear energy means huge risks and lots of things that need to go right. I keep thinking about the disasters that have resulted from local officials cutting corners on regulations and clean-ups. While it’s bad when a town drowns in sludge, I’d rather not picture a Chinese Chernobyl.
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