China should increase its nuclear capacity by more than 40% between 2020 and 2025,with six to eight nuclear reactors commissioned per year. The country should raise total nuclear power capacity from the current 48.7 GW (at the end of 2019) to 70 GW in 2025. In the short run, however, China is expected to miss its 2020 target (58 GW) as the country’s nuclear capacity should stand at 52 GW by the end of 2020.
After an 18% growth in 2018, the installed nuclear power capacity in China increased by 9% in 2019, from around 44.6 GW to 48.7 GW, with the connection of two reactors to the grid (Yangjiang-6 and Taishan-2). In addition, 12 nuclear reactors totalling 12,244 MW are currently under construction and another 42 reactors are planned with a combined capacity of 48,660 MW.
According to China's National Energy Administration, China's nuclear power generation rose by more than 18% in 2019, raising the share of nuclear in the power mix from 4.1% to 4.9%. Overall, power generation in China grew by 5.2% and thermal power plants (mainly coal-fired power plants) still accounted for 72% of the power mix, followed by hydropower (16%), wind (5%) and solar (1.6%).
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