China recently has allowed the public to visit nine nuclear plants across the country. They aim to garner support for nuclear power amid the increasing demand for clean energy. China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN) recently introduced an online booking system to help tourists easily access the nuclear tourism program.
On August 7 of this year, a launch event was held at a nuclear plant in Fujian province. Tourists were allowed to visit the Ningde nuclear power plant’s four CPR-1000 reactors. They also visited the nearby white tea gardens. These visits aim to strengthen public support in nuclear energy sector
Tourists also had an option to visit the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant, which is western China’s first nuclear power project. It is located within the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The plant is just thirty miles from the border of Vietnam. It sits near famous tourist islands which are home to the Jing ethnic minority.
The Chinese nuclear power agency hopes that the program will boost local tourism and also strengthen public support in the nuclear energy sector at a time when China aims to meet its target of zeroing out carbon emissions by 2060.
Such visits are intended to make people aware of nuclear energy. They will help people understand how the power plants tackle issues like radiation and safety controls, according to CGN.
China is constructing thirty nuclear reactors to supplement the reactors already in service. Public support for China is necessary to prepare the country for the additional thirty reactors that China is currently building.
In the last 10 years, more than thirty-four gigawatts of nuclear power capacity were added in China. This brings the country’s number of operating nuclear reactors to fifty-five with a total net capacity of fifty-three gigawatts as of April 2024. This information was provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The U.S. has the largest number of nuclear power stations in the world, with 94 reactors. It took the U.S. nearly forty years to add the same nuclear power capacity as China has added in the last 10 years.
Tourist visits are seen to lead to high-quality development of China’s nuclear power industry. Guo Xingang is the CGN spokesperson for the launch event. “This is not only a public science popularization activity, but also an important exploration in the field of nuclear tourism. He added that “This will not only help enhance the public’s understanding and trust in nuclear power, but also contribute to the high-quality development of my country’s nuclear power industry.”
China has made rapid growth in nuclear power a priority. However, until 2022, nuclear power made up only about 5% of the China’s cumulative power generation. Nuclear power accounts for nearly eighteen percent of electricity generation in the U.S.
China implemented a long-term strategy in 2011 for nuclear power development in order to meet its electricity demand and to address environmental concerns.
Because of growing electricity demand over the last decade, China’s utilities have increased development of all types of electricity generation according to the US Energy Information Administration.
