Challenges of Nuclear Safety to Sustainable Development of Chinese Nuclear Energy in Post-Fukushima Era

Abstract

Sustainable development of Chinese economy in twenty-first century will mainly rely on self-supply of clean energy with indigenous natural resources. The burden of current coal-dominant energy mix and the stress on reduction of CO₂ emission due to energy consumptions has led nuclear power to be an indispensable choice for further growth of Chinese electricity generation capacity. This paper describes the challenges nuclear safety issues in post-Fukushima era related to the development of nuclear industry of China. Three major challenges that China’s nuclear energy market is facing are addressed, which include: safety standards, speed of NPP construction, and advanced technologies. This study emphasizes that China should implement sustainable energy development policy and pay great attention to advanced nuclear technologies with passive and inherent safety in future.