New plants to tackle Yangtze power crisis

China plans to build four more nuclear power plants in the Yangtze River Delta by 2010 to help ease serious electricity shortages facing the booming region.

Together they are expected to generate more than 15,000 megawatts of power, an official said. Although many other energy projects have come online recently, China has initiated no new energy construction projects since 1999.

The four plants provide no immediate respite for China's national energy shortage, which is particularly acute in the delta. National energy demand is expected to leap by 11 per cent this year, with demand already outstripping capacity.

Shortages are set to worsen as the country's growth continues. Shanghai, the centre of the delta, is expected to continue to suffer the most severe shortages, a senior official of Shanghai Electric Power said.

Nationally, power shortages hit 16 of China's 31 provinces and regions last summer, cutting into industrial production not only in Shanghai but Jiangsu and Zhejiang as well, and prompting emergency measures.

Shanghai Electric earlier predicted that power demand in Shanghai would jump 15.2 per cent year-on-year during peak periods in the coming summer, to 16,700 megawatts.

Outside supplies are expected to reach 3,040 megawatts this summer while newly-installed generators in Shanghai will generate an additional 900 megawatts. Shanghai is expected to face a shortage of up to 3,120 megawatts this year.

In a bid to solve the issue long term, the four plants are to be built in 2005 or 2006 and start operation by 2010.

The generators include the fourth phase of the Qinshan nuclear power plant, which could generate 1,200 megawatts, a 6,000-megawatt plant in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, a 4,000-megawatt plant in Putian, Fujian province, and another 4,000-megawatt plant at Lianyungang in Jiangsu province.

The Three Gorges Dam, on which construction began in 1993, has alleviated some power shortages.

Two hydroelectric generating units went online last year at the massive project. Ultimately, 26 units are expected to generate as much as 85 billion kilowatt hours annually, about a ninth of China's total capacity.

The country's sixth nuclear plant, the second phase of Daya Bay, began to deliver power in 2002. Although its six power stations have a combined installed generating capacity of 8.8 million kilowatts, the amount of electricity only accounts for 1 per cent of the country's total power output.

China has set a goal of expanding the installed generating capacity in nuclear power stations to 20 million kilowatts by 2010.

Although environment activists are expected to protest over the construction of the plants, David Hui, a professor in the chemical engineering department of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said nuclear power is the only alternative for China to solve the problem of skyrocketing electricity shortages.

``When compared with the costs and environmental protection, a nuclear power plant occupies less land than coal-fired generators, which damage the environment with pollutants,'' Hui said. ``The price of nuclear power is more stable when compared with rising coal or oil prices.''

Safety concerns are down to management, Hui said. ``With good management of nuclear power plants, the risk of hazards can be highly reduced,'' he said.

Industry analyst Michael Wong echoed Hui's view, saying developing nuclear power plants is a good choice to solve electricity shortages.

``More than half of electricity comes from nuclear power plants in France and no disasters have happened, as a result of good management,'' he said.

14 January 2004 / 01:54 AM