China’s $30 Billion Nuclear Power Play: 11 New Plants Will Make It the World’s Top Reactor Hub by 2030

China has approved plans to build 11 new nuclear power plants this year, surpassing the United States in the number of nuclear reactors by 2030.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress hosted a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday. They approved 11 nuclear power projects across five regions: Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangxi. The total construction cost is expected to reach a minimum of 220 billion yuan (approximately $30 billion), with completion expected within 4 to 5 years. China’s Energy Administration reported that major project participants include the China National Nuclear Corporation, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, and the State Power Investment Corporation.

The new projects will feature fourth-generation reactors that use liquid metals or gases as coolants. For instance, the Xuwei No. 1 nuclear power plant in Jiangsu Province will employ a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor using helium as a coolant. According to CNNC, the Xuwei plant will incorporate advanced safety features and be capable of supplying heat and electricity.

Bloomberg reported that China has approved the construction of 10 new reactors annually for the past two years, making it the country with the highest annual nuclear power construction approvals. The report predicts that by 2030, China will surpass both France and the United States to become the global leader in the number of nuclear reactors.

China currently operates 56 nuclear reactors, ranking third globally behind the United States with 93 reactors and France with 56. Nuclear power accounts for approximately 5% of China’s total electricity demand.

China is rapidly expanding its nuclear power capacity to address rising electricity needs driven by advancements in artificial intelligence technology and to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. After the Fukushima disaster, China suspended the construction of a new reactor from 2016 to 2018. However, it approved four new reactors in 2019 and 2020, five in 2021, and ten each in the past two years. The country aims for nuclear power to provide 10% of its total electricity production by 2035.