Updated: 2011-03-25 16:28
After Japan's nuclear crisis, China suspended approval for new nuclear power stations, but its thirst for energy probably means it won't steer away from nuclear power in the long run, said an article in Los Angeles Times on March 19.
According to the article, China, the world's largest consumer of energy, depends on fossil fuels for 91% of its needs, much of that from high-polluting coal.
It pointed out that China is developing wind, solar and hydroelectric power as well as nuclear power to meet the goal of renewable sources producing 15% of China's energy by 2020.
China is currently building nuclear reactors faster than any other country in the world, with 13 nuclear reactors in operation, 27 under construction and more than 150 planned, said the article. "Projects in China currently represent 60% of all new nuclear power plant construction worldwide."
"The Chinese have been building nuclear reactors for five to 10 years, and they're going to continue to do this," said Mark Hibbs, an expert on nuclear policy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The article gave high praise to China for its move to halt construction and approval for new plants. There are also questions, said the experts, about most of China's new reactors being constructed along the nation's eastern coast, making them vulnerable to tsunamis and whether China will have enough qualified workers and safety regulators.
"It is high time for the Chinese government to take a look at its nuclear ambitions, especially because of the high cost and long build times," said Li Yan, a climate and energy specialist at Greenpeace.
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