China targets 20% nuclear energy growth

China will increase its established nuclear energy capacity by 20 percent this year. China will add 3.24 gigawatt to its nuclear energy capacity in 2013, rising its capacity by 20 percent, according to a report published by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of People's Republic of China. The country has 15 nuclear power plants with a total of 12.54 gigawatt capacity, as stated in an energy report prepared in October last year. He Yu, chairman of the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, said there were 30 cells that were being constructed and that those cells would put in 32.81 gigawatt to the actual capacity. Most of the nuclear energy power plants in China were deactivated and put under strict supervision after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in March 2011. A new nuclear energy power plant project in the eastern province of Shandong was launched in January this year, with a budget of 3 billion-yuan (around 476 million US dollars). This project is to be the world's first nuclear reactor with fourth generation qualities and will be used for commercial purposes. The new plant is planned to be finished by the end of 2017 and will have 200 megawatt energy production capacity.