Energy security

China to overtake US nuclear capacity

The growth of China's nuclear power industry will make it the world's biggest in 15 years, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) said on Tuesday.

The country will overtake France to have the second-largest number of nuclear reactors by 2020, according to WNA director general Agneta Rising.

China’s push to develop nuclear energy comes from the need to improve air quality in its rapidly growing cities as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with international commitments. The country has one of the highest rates of air pollution related deaths in the world.

"For China, the air pollution is a major driver," Rising was cited by Reuters.

The WNA report showed that in Asia 134 operable reactors generated 400 terawatt hours of electricity last year, making up 16 percent of global nuclear generation. There are firm plans to increase that figure, with 39 reactors comprising 47.4 gigawatts (GW) currently under construction in Asia. Twenty of those are to be built in China.