Nuclear plants planned for south China

China has a handful of nuclear power plants in operation and plans to open a few dozen others by 2020, raising the share of atomic power in total electricity generation to 6 percent from the current 2 percent. The strategy is meant both to close the gap between demand and supply and to cut back on use of heavily polluting coal-fired plants, especially in densely populated areas.

China is the world's largest energy consumer after the United States, getting 90 percent of its energy from coal and oil. It wants to increase use of alternatives like nuclear power. China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding signed an agreement with the city government of Shaoguan to build a nuclear plant that will cost 100 billion yuan, or $12.4 billion, the official Xinhua press agency reported recently. "The nuclear plant will increase the city's power resources and raise economic development," Shaoguan city officials said.

Meanwhile, China National Nuclear Power is teaming up with a major electricity producer, China Huadian Group, to build a nuclear power plant near Quanzhou, in Fujian Province, the state-run newspaper China Daily said. The facility, in the town of Hui'an, could accommodate up to six 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors, the newspaper said, citing a statement from the state-run nuclear power company.

China National Nuclear Power said the plant had top-level approval and was included in the country's latest five-year economic plan.

The two companies are to form a joint venture, with China National Nuclear Power taking a controlling share and responsibility for building and operating the plant. China National Nuclear Power and Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding are the only companies authorized to build atomic power facilities in China.