Nuclear Power Expansion in China Stirs Concerns

[bananas]

Nuclear Power Expansion in China Stirs Concerns

By KEITH BRADSHER
Published: December 15, 2009

SHENZHEN, China — China is preparing to build three times as many nuclear power plants in the coming decade as the rest of the world combined, a breakneck pace with the potential to help slow global warming.

China’s civilian nuclear power industry — with 11 reactors operating and construction starting on as many as an additional 10 each year — is not known to have had a serious accident in 15 years of large-scale electricity production.

Wow - they have 11 reactors? That's a lot!!! :sarcasm:

<snip>

In August, the Chinese government dismissed and detained the powerful president of the China National Nuclear Corporation, Kang Rixin, in a $260 million corruption case involving allegations of bid-rigging in nuclear power plant construction, according to official media reports. No charges have been reported against Mr. Kang, who is being held incommunicado for interrogation.

<snip>

China National Nuclear has sought to hush up the case involving the arrest of its president, deleting from its Chinese-language Web site even the most minor news releases that mentioned Mr. Kang. In a faxed response to questions, China National Nuclear made no mention of Mr. Kang, but emphasized that its plants met international standards.

Move along, nothing to see here! Never happened, never happened! Got a link? There's no record of it!

<snip>

Today, China’s nuclear plants can produce about nine gigawatts of power when operating at full capacity, supplying about 2.7 percent of the country’s electricity. Three years ago, the government set a goal of increasing that capacity more than fourfold by 2020.

The government will soon announce a further increase in its targets, to 70 gigawatts of capacity by 2020 and 400 gigawatts by 2050, said Jiang Kejun, an energy policy director at the National Development and Reform Commission, the main planning agency.

Electrical demand is growing so rapidly in China that even if the industry manages to meet the ambitious 2020 target, nuclear stations will still generate only 9.7 percent of the country’s power, by the government’s projections.

Bringing so much nuclear power online over the next decade would reduce the country’s energy-related emissions of global warming gases by about 5 percent, compared with the emissions that would be produced by burning coal to generate the power.

Only 5%? Why bother, that's just a drop in the bucket, it's expensive, dirty, dangerous, and won't make a noticeable difference in global warming.

[madokie]

1. To some people nuclear power is like a magical toy to them

They never get passed the WOW part

[FreakinDJ]

2. Given China's past environmental record - Inevitable Disaster

the ruling Communist Party simply does not have a conscious. The impending Chernoleble like event will spew enough radiation to cause Radiation sickness in Japan and Deforest Alaska

[joshcryer]

3. Glad you read Keith Bradsher's other articles.

:hi:

(Unfortunate that you're obviously using it to troll though.)

[bananas]

4. I read this article previously

but didn't take the time to post it.
And no, I'm not trolling.

[Nederland]

5. You don't think that's a lot?

I don't understand your sarcasm regarding China having 11 reactors. Are you aware that those 11 reactors will produce more power every year than all of Germany's much celebrated wind turbines combined?

[kristopher]

6. 11 reactors with a maximum operating history of 15 years doesn't equal

...the positive safety record the article intended - especially in light of apparently massive corruption at the heart of the construction process.

Not surprised you'd misconstrue the relevance.

[joshcryer]

7. Yeah, like considering Chinese corruption relevant with nuclear, but not with other aspects of...

...their production sector. :eyes:

[kristopher]

8. No other industrial sector has the potential for disaster that nuclear does.

If you have a corruption induced, worst case failure at a steel mill or a coal plant there is little impact outside of the loss of production.

That isn't the case with nuclear.

You've turned into quite the little nuclear cheerleader, haven't you?

[kristopher]

9. Kick