Nuke gets the Red nod
TO MEET the rising demands of electricity, the Chinese government plans to augment its nuclear facilities by constructing 12 more nuclear plants apart from the present two. Nuclear power is projected to rise from the current one per cent usage to six per cent in AD 2020.
Being cash-strapped, however, the Chinese are seeking help from countries like Canada, Japan, UK, us and Russia to budd the reactors. While China can on its own build reactors which can produce 300,000 kilowatt (KW), the planned reactors are 600,000 KW and above in their generating capacity. China hopes to become self reliant in its power production and wants that the deals for constructing the reactors fall in place soon. As for the safety aspect of the nuclear plants, the two reactors which are currently operational show that "nuclear power is an advanced, safe, clean and economic kind of energy," according to Chen Zhaobo, vice chairperson for the China Atomic Energy Authority.