China aims to build nuclear power plants in interior regions - official |
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Thu, 08 Nov 2007 04:28
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BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - China will step up efforts to build nuclear power plants in interior areas, with the country now considering the viability of a number of possible projects in central and southwestern regions, said an official with the country's atomic industry watchdog.Cao Shudong, director of system engineering with the China Atomic Energy Agency, said that although the country's 40,000-MW nuclear capacity target only covers projects located on the eastern and southern coast, 'from the point of view of economic development, interior provinces and regions should also get opportunities to launch nuclear projects.'A number of sites in China's central and western regions have made applications to the central government to build nuclear power plants, including Chongqing and Sichuan province in the southwest, and the central provinces of Hubei, Henan and Jiangxi.'There is so much pressure on China as far as power is concerned, and also there are pollution problems,' Cao said on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing. 'Constructing a nuclear plant will help the regions solve these problems.'Cao also said that China should draw up an atomic energy law as soon as possible in order to help coordinate the industry, and ensure that the country's construction targets can be met.There are currently 11 nuclear reactors in operation in China, all situated on the eastern coast.david.stanway@xinhuafinance.comxfndds/xfnrcCOPYRIGHTCopyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.
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