China to resume nuclear plants construction

Beijing: China appears set to resume construction of 43 new nuclear plants that was stalled in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, with officials contending that risks though "inevitable" can be dealt with proper planning at the initial stage.

The development was halted after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the nuclear plant at Japan, causing anxieties across the world over the safety of nuclear energy.

"The risk factor must be taken into account at the very beginning of a plan to build a nuclear power station, because potential risks at nuclear power stations are inevitable," Xue Yusheng, honorary president of State Grid Electric Power Research Institute said.

China currently has 13 nuclear power plants with varied capacities.

According to state-run Beijing Review, China at present has approved 43 nuclear power plants, with a planned capacity of 200 million kw. These plants are located in 16 provinces, including eight in inland areas.

"After a yearlong suspension, construction of nuclear power facilities across China may be starting up again, signalling the resumption of a 1-trillion-yuan ($ 158.73 billion) nuclear investment across the country," it said.

The Chinese government is likely to resume the examination and approval of nuclear power station projects this year, Wang Binghua, chairman of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation Ltd, said.

China suspended approving new nuclear power projects and launched nationwide safety inspections at nuclear power stations and facilities in operation and under construction over safety concerns after the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Last week, Zhao Qizheng, a spokesman for China's top political advisory body's annual session, said China will develop nuclear power under "extremely safe" preconditions after drawing lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Xue, who is also member of the National People's Congress told state-run Xinhua news agency that China must fully evaluate risks and define an accountability system when approving nuclear power projects.

However "development of nuclear power matters to national welfare and the people's livelihood. Thus we can't come up with plans that view nuclear disaster only as a small probability and without preparation measures".