Nuclear in China and India
I was researching for the video on future energy sources for China and India and came across these nifty reports:
Nuclear Power in China (September 2008)
1. Mainland China has eleven nuclear power reactors in commercial operation, six under construction, and several more about to start construction.
2. Additional reactors are planned, including some of the world’s most advanced, to give a sixfold increase in nuclear capacity to at least 50 GWe or possibly to 60 GWe by 2020 and then a further three to fourfold increase to 120-160 GWe by 2030.
3. The country aims to become self-sufficient in reactor design and construction, as well as other aspects of the fuel cycle.
4. Electricity demand is growing very rapidly.
5. Mainland China is starting to rely heavily on imported uranium to fuel its nuclear power program.
Nuclear Power in India (September 2008)
6. India has a flourishing and largely indigenous nuclear power program and expects to have 20,000 MWe nuclear capacity on line by 2020. It aims to supply 25% of electricity from nuclear power by 2050.
7. Because India is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, due to its weapons program, it has been for 34 years largely excluded from trade in nuclear plant or materials, which has hampered its development of civil nuclear energy.
8. Due to these trade bans and lack of indigenous uranium, India has uniquely been developing a nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its reserves of thorium.
9. From 2008, foreign technology and fuel are expected to boost India’s nuclear power plans considerably.
