BEIJING, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - China intends to double the number of nuclear power plants in the next decade, The China Daily reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.
There are currently 11 nuclear power plants operational in the country with combined capacity of about 9 GW, supplying just 1.3% of the country's energy needs, the paper said.
"China currently relies on coal power plants to supply about 80% of its total energy needs... The need to combat carbon emissions means that the country has to increase its nuclear power generation," Fu Manchang, secretary general of the Chinese Nuclear Society, was quoted by China Daily as saying.
According to the paper, China intends to raise the share of nuclear power in the national energy mix to around 5% by 2020.
This year alone, the Chinese authorities will begin the construction of nuclear power plants with total capacity of 8.4 GW, the paper said.
