The state structure of The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is comprised of the National People’s Congress, the president of PRC, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, Local People’s Congresses and local governments at various levels, the organs of self-government of national autonomous regions, People’s Court and People’s Procuratorate.

The National People's Congress (NPC) of PRC is the highest organ of state power. Both the president and vice president are elected by the NPC. The State Council of PRC, namely the Central People's Government, is the highest executive organ of State power, as well as the highest organ of State administration. The State Council is composed of a premier, vice-premiers, State councilors, ministers in charge of ministries and commissions, the auditor-general and the secretary-general. The Supreme People's Court is the highest trial organ in the country and the Supreme People's Procuratorate is the highest legal supervision organ of the State.

 http://www.gov.cn/gjjg/2005-08/28/content_27083.htm

With a land area of 9 561 000 square kilometers, China is rich in coal and water resources, which are unevenly distributed throughout the country. Coal deposits are predominant in the north and north-western regions, while water resources are mainly in the south-western region. In contrast, Southeast China is densely populated and has extensively developed industry and agriculture, but is deficient in coal and hydro resources. Environmental pollution from burning coal has become increasingly severe.

The annual average precipitation in 2012 was 669.3 millimeters with an average temperature of 9.4?.

By the end of 2012, total population in the mainland of China, increasing by 6.69 million over the end of last year, reached 1354.04 million, among which urban population is 711.82 million, up by 1.3 percentage points over the end of last year, and accounting for 52.6% of the total population. Yearly new-born population totalled 16.35 million with a birth rate of 12.10% and a natural growth rate of 4.95%. Population aged 0 to 14 (under 15 years old) reached 222.87 million, accounting for 16.5%, up by 0.01 percentage points over the end of last year. Working population aged 15 to 59 (under 60 years old) totalled 937.27 million, down by 3.45 million, accounting for 69.2% of the total population. Population aged 60 and above reached 193.9 million, up by 0.59 percentage points over the end of last year, accounting for 14.3% of the total population.

TABLE 1. POPULATION INFORMATION

							Annual Average Growth Rate (%)
	1970	1980	1990	2000	2005	2012	2000-2012
Population (millions)	829.9	987.1	1143.3	1295.3	1307.6	1354.0	0.37
Population Density (inhabitants/km˛)	86.8	103.2	119.5	1354.5	136.8	141.6	0.37
Urban Population as % of total	17.3	19.3	26.4	36.1	43.0	52.6	3.2
Area (1000 km˛)	9561

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China

Statistics of 2005

1. Statistics of 2000 – Population information was not mentioned in the Statistical Communiqué of the People’s Republic of China on the 2000 National Economic and Social Development, but the Communiqué mentioned the population information should refer to the figure of the Fifth National Population Census.

More population statistics refer to statistics of 2003.

In 2012 China’s GNP totaled 51.93 trillion RMB (about 8.35 trillion US dollars), up by 18 times compared with that in 1978, making it the world second largest economy.

TABLE 2. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

						Annual Average Growth Rate (%)
	1980	1990	2000	2005	2012	2000-2012
GDP (millions of current US$)	189,400	356,937	1,198,470	2,256,903	8,358,363	17.57
GDP (millions of constant 2000 US$)	54,890	225,421	1,198,470	2,233,192	6,371,072	14.94
GDP per capita (PPP* US$/capita)	250	794	2366	4114	9233	12.02
GDP per capita (current US$/capita)	193	314	950	1731	6188	16.90

GDP is calculated in RMB according to 2012 China Statics Report of National Economy by National Statics Bureau. Other statics refer to World Bank data.

China enjoys abundant energy, and mineral resources as well as renewable resources, which are however characterized by the low per-capita share of resources and uneven regional distribution. China is rich in coal resources with an extensive range of coal types but lack of quality resources and crippled by the uneven regional distribution; coal-rich regions suffer from a fragile ecological environment, not an ideal condition for resource exploitation. The sustained and rapid development of China’s economy in the 1990s immediately boosted the oil and gas industry in China. However there is a shortage of per capita resources and widening deficit of supply against demand with ever-growing import of gas and oil. Possessing rich renewable resources dominated by hydro power, China is still plagued by the uneven regional distribution of resources.

TABLE 3. ESTIMATED AVAILABLE ENERGY SOURCES

	Estimated available energy sources
	Fossil Fuels			Nuclear	Renewables
	Solid(1)	Liquid(2)	Gas(3)	Uranium(4)	Hydro(5)	Wind power(6)
Total amount in Exajoule (EJ)*	13778.9	32.4	4	26.55	5.42	9.5

* Solid, Liquid: Hundred million tons; Uranium: Ten thousand metric tons; Gas: Trillion m³; Hydro, Renewable: Hundred million KW

(1) Coal including Lignite: proved recoverable reserves.

(2) Crude oil: remaining technologically recoverable reserves.

(3) Natural gas: remaining technologically recoverable reserves.

(4) Uranium: Ten thousand metric tons Uranium metal.

(5) Hydropower: technically exploitable capability, the amount of the gross theoretical capability that can be exploited within the limits of current technology in 2003.

(6) Wind power: land exploitable resources 800 million kWs, offshore exploitable resources 150 million kWs.

In 2011, China’s primary energy output reached 3.108 billion tons of standard coal equivalent, becoming the world’s largest energy producer. Production and consumption of coal, its dominant fuel, is the highest in the world. China is also world’s second largest consumer of petroleum products.

TABLE 4. ENERGY STATISTICS

							Annual Average Growth Rate (%)
	1970	1980	1990	2000	2005	2011	2000-2011
Final Energy Consumption(Exajoule)
Total		17.64	28.89	42.60	69.08	101.86	8.25
solids		12.74	22.01	29.48	48.91	69.67	8.13
liquids		3.65	4.80	9.46	13.68	18.95	6.52
- Gases		0.55	0.61	0.94	1.80	5.09	16.64
Nuclear		0.00	0.00	0.17	0.55	0.81	15.25
Hydro		0.71	1.47	2.51	4.08	6.52	9.07
Other renewables		0.00	0.00	0.04	0.07	0.81	31.45
Energy generation
Total		18.66	30.42	39.53	63.29	93.07	8.10
Solids		12.95	22.54	28.93	49.11	72.41	8.70
Liquids		4.44	5.84	6.80	7.59	8.47	2.02
Gases		0.56	0.61	1.07	1.90	4.00	12.74
Nuclear		0.00	0.00	0.20	0.57	0.84	13.94
Hydro		0.71	1.43	2.53	4.11	6.52	8.99
Other renewables		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.84	--
Net import
Total

China's energy strategy, abiding by the principles of giving priority to thrift, relying on domestic resources, encouraging diverse patterns of development, protecting the environment, making scientific and technological innovation, deepening the reform, promoting international cooperation and improving people’s livelihood, aims to promote the transformation of energy production and utilization, and construct a sound, stable, economic and clean modern energy industrial system, so as to achieve a sustainable social-economic development with a sustainable energy support.

The Twelfth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the PRC has put forward that the ratio of non-fossil energy to primary energy consumption will increase to 11.4% by 2015; the energy consumption and the carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP will decline by 16% and 17% respectively compared with that of 2010.

The Chinese government has been committed to increasing the ratio of non-fossil energy to primary energy consumption to approximately 15% by 2020 and reducing the carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP by 40% to 45% compared with that of 2005. As a responsible major power, China will make unremitting efforts to reach this goal.

The power developing policy of China is to develop clean, highly-efficient, high-capacity coal-fired units; giving priority to developing co-generation units in large and mid-size cities and industrial zones, as well as comprehensive utilization power plants such as large-scale mine mouth coal-fired power plants and coal gangue power plants.

China will actively develop hydropower under the premise that ecological protection and resettlement are well handled, focus on promoting construction of large-scale hydropower plants in Southwestern China, develop small and medium-sized river hydropower resources according to local conditions, and carry out scientific planning and construction of pumped storage power stations. China will also develop nuclear power on the basis of ensuring safety.

Greater efforts will be made to strengthen the construction of projects that support grid integration, and effective development of wind power, actively develop other renewable energy sources such as solar energy, biomass energy, and geothermal energy, and boost the popularization and application of distributed energy resource systems.

Power projects in China, according to their contents, shall be approved by the State Council, and competent departments of investment under the State Council and of local governments, among which,

Hydropower Plant: projects on main rivers and with total installed capacity of 0.25 million kW and above shall be approved by the competent departments of investment under the State Council, while the rest by the competent departments of investment of local governments.

Pumped storage power stations: projects shall be approved by competent departments of investment under the State Council.

Thermal power plant: projects shall be approved by competent departments of investment under the State Council.

Heating and power plant: coal-fired power projects shall be approved by competent departments of investment under the State Council, while the rest by competent departments of investment of local governments.

Wind power plant: projects with total installed capacity of 50 thousand KW and above shall be approved by competent departments of investment under the State Council, while the rest by competent departments of investment of local governments.

Nuclear power plant: projects shall be approved by the State Council.

Power grid project: projects of 330 kV and above shall be approved by competent departments of investment under the State Council, while the rest by competent departments of investment of local governments.

The State Council issued the Plans Regarding the Restructuring of the Power Industry in 2002,which laid out the four-step reform of separating the management of power plants from that of the power grid, separating subsidiary grid systems from the main grid systems, separating the management of power transmission from that of power distribution and putting power on the grid through price competition. The electric power structure and related organizations of our country are as follows:

National Energy Administration (NEA) and State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) are respectively the competent monitoring and supervising departments of the power and grid enterprises in China. (SERC was integrated into NEA.)

The five national power generation groups in China are China Huaneng Group (CHNG), China Datang Corporation (CTD), China Huadian Corporation (CHD), China Guodian Corporation (CGDC) and China Power Investment Corporation (CPI), all of which are authorized by the State Council. Besides, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) control many nuclear power plants via share holding, and China Three Gorges Corporation constructed and operates some of hydroelectric power plants in China. Some of the Chinese hydroelectric power plants are built and operated by China Three Gorges Corporation.

State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) and China Southern Power Grid Co, Ltd. are two national grid companies responsible for the operation of the national power grid. China, with all power networks state-owned, has set up 6 trans-provincial networks and 1 regional network in the mainland for distribution of the generated electricity by its power plants.

Power Construction Corporation of China and China Energy Engineering Group Co, Ltd., two sideline corporations for electric power industry, were founded in 2009.

Besides, state-owned key enterprises such as China Power Engineering Consulting Group Corporation (CPECC), Hydro China Corporation, Sinohydro Group Ltd., and China Gezhouba (Group) Corporation offer power engineering and consulting services.

By 2012 the total installed capacity of China amounted to 1144.91GW, of which the installed capacity of thermal power, hydro power and nuclear power accounted for 71.5%, 21.7% and 1.19% respectively. Gross electric output in 2012 reached 4603 TW/h, with a year-on-year growth of 12%. Most of the electricity was produced by thermal power (82.84%), whilst hydropower contributed 13.27% and nuclear electricity production only 1.88%... Table 5 demonstrates the historical electricity production and installed capacity and table 6 indicates the energy-related ratios.

TABLE 5. ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION AND INSTALLED CAPACITY

							Annual Average Growth Rate (%)
	1970	1980	1990	2000	2005	2012	2000 to 2012
Installed Capacity (gig watt effective)
Thermal		45.55	101.84	223.43	383.54	819.1	11.43
Hydro		20.32	36.05	72.97	117.89	249	10.77
Nuclear		..	..	2.17	6.57	12.57	15.76
Wind power		..	..	..	..	60.83	--
Geothermal		..	..	..	..	..	--
Other renewable		..	..	..	..	..3.28	--
- Total		65.87	137.89	298.57	508.00	1144.9	--
Electricity Generation(TWH)
Thermal		242.42	494.48	1114.19	2047.34	3855.4	10.90
Hydro		58.21	126.72	222.41	397.02	860.85	11.94
Nuclear		..	..	16.74	53.09	98.3	15.90
Wind power		..	..	..	..	100.4	..
Geothermal			..	..	..		--
Other renewable		..	..	..	..	--	..
- Total (1)		300.63	623.04	1355.60	2500.2	4937.7	11.37
Total electricity consumption (TWH)

(1) Electricity losses are not deducted.

TABLE 6. ENERGY RELATED RATIOS

	1970	1980	1990	2000	2005	2011
Energy consumption per capita (GJ/capita)		17.97	25.44	33.75	52.98	75.78
Electricity per capita (kW.h/capita)		306.00	549.00	1067.00	1913.00	3497.00
Electricity generation/ Energy generation		4.72	6.00	9.98	11.53	14.78
Nuclear/Total electricity (%)		0	0	1.24	2.13	1.84
Import energy ratio (%)		--	--	--	--	--

In 1970, Mr. Zhou Enlai, who was the Premier of the State Council, pointed out the necessity for the peaceful use of atomic energy and development of nuclear power, which was the curtain raiser of nuclear power development in China.

In December 1991, the Qinshan nuclear power plant was connected into the grid for the first time. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant’s unit 1 and unit 2, which were imported from France, began commercial operation in February and May 1994, respectively. Thus, nuclear power generation began on the Mainland of China.

In the 1990s, the Chinese government presented the policy of “moderate development of nuclear power”. After the establishments of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant and Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, Qinshan Phase II, Lingao Phase I, Qinshan Phase III and Tianwan nuclear power projects have been under construction in succession.

Forging ahead in the 21^st century, the Chinese government further presented the policies of “vigorously developing nuclear power” and “efficiently developing nuclear power on the basis of ensuring safety”. In 2007, 2005-2020 Mid-long Term Development Planning for Nuclear Power was issued, symbolizing Chinese nuclear power’s new phase of large-scale development.

After the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, China’s State Council held an executive meeting to discuss measures against the accident and 4 decisions were made: to carry out an immediate comprehensive safety inspection on China’s nuclear facilities, to adjust and improve the middle-long term development strategy for nuclear power, to urgently formulate planning for nuclear safety and nuclear power safety, and to suspend approving nuclear power projects.

In May and October 2012, China’s State Council Executive Meeting debriefed the reports on the comprehensive inspection on nuclear facilities and approved in succession Twelfth Five Year Plan and 2020 Vision for Nuclear safety and Radioactive Pollution Prevention, 2011-2020 Planning for Nuclear Power Safety, and the amended 2011-2020 Mid-long Term Development Planning for Nuclear Power, according to which, by 2020, China will have constructed nuclear power units of 58GW with another 30 GW under construction.

There are four competent departments to supervise nuclear power, which include: China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) and the Ministry of Health.

CAEA is Chinese government’s competent department of nuclear industry. It is responsible for deliberating and drawing up policies, regulations, strategies, plans and industrial standards for China’s peaceful uses of atomic energy. It is in charge of the communication and cooperation on nuclear issues between governments and international organizations, and it is responsible for the planning, supervision, review and approval in the nuclear fuel cycle industry. It takes the lead in dealing with the emergency management of nuclear accidents.

The National Energy Administration is the national managing department of energy industry. It is responsible for drawing up and implementing the development plan, access conditions and technical standards of nuclear power, proposing the audit opinion for major nuclear power projects, organizing the coordination and guidance of nuclear power research and organizing the emergency management of nuclear power plants after nuclear accidents.

The Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) is China’s regulating mechanism of nuclear safety. It carries out unified supervision on nuclear safety of China’s nuclear power plants and independently exercises the nuclear safety supervision. It also implements the supervision and management of environmental protection of China’s nuclear power plants by issuing or revoking licence as one of its major measures.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for the occupational-disease-prevention in NPPs and emergency medical rescue for nuclear radiation accidents.

There are 4 state-owned key enterprises engaged in the nuclear power industry, including China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), China Nuclear Engineering Group Corporation (CNEC) and State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC). China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) operate several nuclear power units. China Nuclear Engineering Group Corporation is mainly engaged in the construction and installation of China’s nuclear power units. State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation is mainly engaged in the introduction, digest, assimilation, research and development, transfer, application and promotion of the 3^rd generation nuclear power technology.

In addition, China Power Investment Corporation and China Huaneng Group participate in some nuclear power projects by way of either acting as an equity participants or controlling shares. China Datang Corporation, China Guodian Corporation and China Huadian Corporation participate in some nuclear power projects as equity participants.

By 31 December 2012, three nuclear power bases of Qinshan (Zhejiang Province), Daya Bay (Guangdong Province) and Tianwan (Jiangsu Province) had been set up in mainland of China, with 15 nuclear power units in business operation and a total installed capacity of 12.538 GW. Another 30 nuclear power units were under construction, with a total installed capacity of 32.671GW. From 2010 to 2012, the yearly cumulative generating capacity and on-grid energy of Chinese nuclear power units grew steadily. In 2012, the yearly cumulative generating capacity of nuclear power units under business operation was 983.17 billion KWH, up by 12.75% year on year. It took up 1.97% of the country’s total generating capacity.

TABLE 7. DESCRIPTION OF NUCLEAR POWER PROJECTS (by Dec. 31^st, 2012)

Reactor Unit	Type	Net Capacity [MW(e)]	Status	Operator	Reactor Supplier	Construction Date	First Criticality Date	First Grid Date	Commercial Date	Shutdown Date	UCF for 2013
CEFR	FBR	20	Operational	CIAE	IZ	2000-05-10	2010-07-21	2011-07-21			0.0
DAYA BAY-1	PWR	944	Operational	DNMC	FRAM	1987-08-07	1993-07-28	1993-08-31	1994-02-01		86.7
DAYA BAY-2	PWR	944	Operational	DNMC	FRAM	1988-04-07	1994-01-21	1994-02-07	1994-05-06		85.8
FANGJIASHAN-1	PWR	1000	Operational	QNPC	NPIC	2008-12-26	2014-10-21	2014-11-04			0.0
FUQING-1	PWR	1000	Operational	FQNP	NPIC	2008-11-21	2014-07-24	2014-08-20			0.0
HONGYANHE-1	PWR	1061	Operational	LHNPC	DEC	2007-08-18	2013-01-16	2013-02-17	2013-06-06		99.5
HONGYANHE-2	PWR	1061	Operational	LHNPC	DEC	2008-03-28	2013-10-24	2013-11-23	2014-05-13		0.0
LING AO-1	PWR	950	Operational	DNMC	FRAM	1997-05-15	2002-02-04	2002-02-26	2002-05-28		82.8
LING AO-2	PWR	950	Operational	DNMC	FRAM	1997-11-28	2002-08-27	2002-09-14	2003-01-08		88.6
LING AO-3	PWR	1007	Operational	DNMC	DEC	2005-12-15	2010-06-09	2010-07-15	2010-09-15		90.1
LING AO-4	PWR	1007	Operational	DNMC	DEC	2006-06-15	2011-02-25	2011-05-03	2011-08-07		89.0
NINGDE-1	PWR	1018	Operational	NDNP	DEC	2008-02-18	2012-11-24	2012-12-28	2013-04-15		99.9
NINGDE-2	PWR	1018	Operational	NDNP	SHE	2008-11-12	2013-12-20	2014-01-04	2014-05-04		0.0
QINSHAN 2-1	PWR	610	Operational	NPQJVC	CNNC	1996-06-02	2001-11-15	2002-02-06	2002-04-15		85.8
QINSHAN 2-2	PWR	610	Operational	NPQJVC	CNNC	1997-04-01	2004-02-25	2004-03-11	2004-05-03		88.7
QINSHAN 2-3	PWR	610	Operational	NPQJVC	CNNC	2006-04-28	2010-07-13	2010-08-01	2010-10-05		93.5
QINSHAN 2-4	PWR	610	Operational	NPQJVC	CNNC	2007-01-28	2011-11-17	2011-11-25	2011-12-30		84.2
QINSHAN 3-1	PHWR	650	Operational	TQNPC	AECL	1998-06-08	2002-09-21	2002-11-19	2002-12-31		89.9
QINSHAN 3-2	PHWR	650	Operational	TQNPC	AECL	1998-09-25	2003-01-18	2003-06-12	2003-07-24		99.9
QINSHAN-1	PWR	298	Operational	CNNO	CNNC	1985-03-20	1991-10-31	1991-12-15	1994-04-01		81.0
TIANWAN-1	PWR	990	Operational	JNPC	IZ	1999-10-20	2005-12-20	2006-05-12	2007-05-17		90.7
TIANWAN-2	PWR	990	Operational	JNPC	IZ	2000-09-20	2007-05-01	2007-05-14	2007-08-16		89.1
YANGJIANG-1	PWR	1000	Operational	YJNPC	CFHI	2008-12-16	2013-12-23	2013-12-31	2014-03-25		0.0
CHANGJIANG-1	PWR	610	Under Construction	HNPC	DEC	2010-04-25
CHANGJIANG-2	PWR	610	Under Construction	HNPC	DEC	2010-11-21			2015-12-31
FANGCHENGGANG-1	PWR	1000	Under Construction	GFNPC	DEC	2010-07-30
FANGCHENGGANG-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	GFNPC	DEC	2010-12-23
FANGJIASHAN-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	QNPC	NPIC	2009-07-17
FUQING-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	FQNP	NPIC	2009-06-17
FUQING-3	PWR	1000	Under Construction	FQNP	NPIC	2010-12-31			2015-07-31
FUQING-4	PWR	1000	Under Construction	FQNP	NPIC	2012-11-17
HAIYANG-1	PWR	1000	Under Construction	SDNPC	WH	2009-09-24
HAIYANG-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	SDNPC	WH	2010-06-20
HONGYANHE-3	PWR	1000	Under Construction	LHNPC	DEC	2009-03-07	2014-10-27
HONGYANHE-4	PWR	1000	Under Construction	LHNPC	DEC	2009-08-15
NINGDE-3	PWR	1018	Under Construction	NDNP	CFHI	2010-01-08
NINGDE-4	PWR	1018	Under Construction	NDNP	CFHI	2010-09-29
SANMEN-1	PWR	1000	Under Construction	SMNPC	WH/MHI	2009-04-19
SANMEN-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	SMNPC	WH/MHI	2009-12-15
SHIDAO BAY-1	HTGR	200	Under Construction	HSNPC	Tsinghua	2012-12-09
TAISHAN-1	PWR	1660	Under Construction	TNPC	AREVA	2009-11-18
TAISHAN-2	PWR	1660	Under Construction	TNPC	AREVA	2010-04-15
TIANWAN-3	PWR	990	Under Construction	JNPC	IZ	2012-12-27
TIANWAN-4	PWR	990	Under Construction	JNPC	IZ	2013-09-27
YANGJIANG-2	PWR	1000	Under Construction	YJNPC	CFHI	2009-06-04
YANGJIANG-3	PWR	1000	Under Construction	YJNPC	CFHI	2010-11-15
YANGJIANG-4	PWR	1000	Under Construction	YJNPC	CFHI	2012-11-17
YANGJIANG-5	PWR	1000	Under Construction	YJNPC	CFHI	2013-09-18
YANGJIANG-6	PWR	1000	Under Construction	YJNPC	CFHI	2013-12-23

Data source: IAEA - Power Reactor Information System

PWR: pressurized water reactor; PHWR: pressurized heavy-water reactor; HTR: high-temperature reactor

CNNC: China National Nuclear Cooperation;

GNPJVC: Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company;

JNPC: Jiangsu Nuclear Power Company;

LHNPC: Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Company;

NDNPC: Ningde Nuclear Power Company;

FQNPC: Fuqing Nuclear Power Company;

YJNPC: Yangjiang Nuclear Power Company;

QNPC: Qinshan Nuclear Power Company;

SMNPC: Sanmen Nuclear Power Company;

SNPC: Shandong Nuclear Power Company;

TNPC: Taishan Nuclear Power Company;

HNPC: Hainan Nuclear Power Company;

GFNPC: Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Company;

HSBPC: Huaneng Shandong Nuclear Power Company.

Picture 1. Distribution of NNP in China (until 31 December 2012)

After the Fukushima accident, the Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration), the National Energy Administration and China Earthquake Administration conducted a comprehensive safety inspection on China’s nuclear power plants under operation and construction. The results show that China’s nuclear power plants have certain prevention and mitigation ability against severe accidents and that the security risk is under control and safety assured.

In order to further enhance the level of nuclear safety of China’s nuclear power plants, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) put forward the technical specifications to be followed in the general renovation of China’s nuclear power plants under operation and construction, according to the results of the comprehensive safety inspection. In June 2012, “General Technical Specifications for Nuclear Power Plant Renovation after the Fukushima accident (for trial implementation)” was issued.

These specifications include:

(1)Technical requirements for flood control capacity renovation of nuclear power plants, mainly involving the investigation and assessment on flood control and drainage equipments of nuclear power plants, and the adoption of adequate preventive measures for important safety system and components of nuclear power plants to maintain maximum safety function under conditions of flood accidents beyond design basis.

(2)Technical requirements for emergency makeup water and related equipments: mainly include the technical requirements for bringing out decay heat by measures as adopting secondary or primary emergency makeup water, or spent fuel pool emergency makeup water. Technical requirements for mobile pump, makeup water pipeline and source of water were presented.

(3)Technical requirements for portable power supply and configuration: Mainly include the technical requirements for the functions of portable emergency power supply and equipments, and the related operating procedures.

(4)Technical requirements for the spent fuel pool monitoring: Mainly include the requirements of available means, range, instruments and system for monitoring.

(5)Technical requirements for hydrogen monitoring and control system renovation: Mainly include the analysis of hydrogen distribution and the efficiency assessment of hydrogen monitoring and control measures in the containment under severe accidents, and the requirements for function and equipments of hydrogen monitoring and control system under conditions of severe accidents.

(6)Technical requirements for the habitability and function of emergency operating centre.

(7)Technical requirements for radiation environment monitoring and emergency renovation: mainly include the analysis and assessment of the rationality and representativeness of the environment monitoring arrangement of nuclear power plants, the improvement of emergency monitoring plan under severe accidents, providing necessary monitoring means under accident conditions, and formulating the emergency response plan of nuclear power plants and the allocation and coordination plan for emergency personnel and materials when more than one unit in one plant enter the state of emergency simultaneously.

(8)Technical requirements for external disaster responses: Mainly include strengthening the communication and information exchange with meteorological, hydrological, marine and earthquake departments, further improving disaster plans and related management procedures and enhancing the early warning and coping capacity when external event takes place.

After the Fukushima accident, by the end of 2012 nuclear power plants had taken the following series of renovation activities:

Activities		Implementation
Early warning and response against external disaster		Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant and LingAo Nuclear Power Plant have signed the Meteorological Disaster Forecast and Early Warning Support Agreement with the Meteorological Office; set up information providing mechanism with the Seismological Bureau of Guangdong Province; established information service of tsunami early warning with the National Bureau of Oceanography; and will further set up the mechanism of early warning scale and in-plant warning issuing. China Nuclear Power Operation & Management Company Ltd has established regular communication and information exchange mechanism with units and departments like the Donghai Forecast Centre of the National Bureau of Oceanography and the Meteorological Bureau of Jiaxing.
Assessment and improvement of flood prevention capacity of important plant buildings	Waterproof plugging of NI facilities and plant buildings, and provisional waterproof measures adopted on important plant buildings	Every nuclear power plant has inspected one by one the waterproof plugging of doors, windows, vents, cable penetrations and process piping penetrations, and has resurveyed the building threshold and the catchment level. The flood prevention survey on power plant cooling source, emergency power supply and water system has been accomplished, and provisional measures of plant buildings have been implemented on site. The flood prevention plugging of important plant buildings has been finished.
	Flood prevention facilities renovation of nuclear power plants in Qinshan Nuclear Power Base	The thematic analysis report of the possible maximum typhoon wave calculation of sea dike frontier and sectional model experiment of the units of Qinshan Nuclear Power Base based on the 10.01m flood of design basis has been accomplished. The calculation analysis and model tests results demonstrate that beside Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, the existing flood prevention (sea wave retaining walls) facilities inQinshan 2nd and 3rd Nuclear Power Plants remain stable and need no renovation. The plan of heightening the sea dike of and adding external water retaining wall to the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant has been examined and approved by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration). The field inspection has been carried out before the project starts and site operation has started.
	Adding water retaining wall to the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant	The project has been approved; the bidding is under way and is expected to be finished in 2013.
Assessment of earthquake responding and seismic capacity	Enhancing the capacity of earthquake monitoring and seismic responding	Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base has accomplished various renovation of earthquake monitoring system of each plant: the newly added OBE/SSE alarming in main control room could meet the requirement of operator’s quick response to the earthquake conditions; at the same time, in order to avoid the error shutdown caused by the false alarm, the accelerated peak of earthquake is sent to the master control room operators every second for reference. Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant has accomplished preventive maintenance outline and maintenance procedures of earthquake monitoring and recording system, finished assessment and upgrading of regular test procedures, and examined and improved the spare parts reserve quota of the system, which meet the demand of safety operation. Qinshan 2nd Nuclear Power Plant has accomplished preventive maintenance outline optimization, maintenance procedures revision, regular test procedures, alarming and responding procedures and emergency responding procedures. Qinshan 3rd Nuclear Power Plant has passed on site inspection and assessment and the existing factory facilities could meet the demand. At the same time, the earthquake common mode event emergency operation procedures(EOP) has been assessed and upgraded, the regular maintenance procedure of earthquake monitoring instrument “the Earthquake Monitoring System” has been upgraded. Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is equipped with earthquake monitoring system and earthquake protection function. The accident procedure of “Error Shutdown Caused by Earthquake” has been compiled.
	Analysis of the seismic margin and safety analysis of earthquake probability are carried out	Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant has investigated the safety analysis of earthquake probability and assessment of the seismic margin of different nuclear power plants. The assessment of seismic safety margin demonstrates that nuclear power plants possess certain safety margin in coping with the external events that are beyond the design basis. Field investigation will be further carried out when the units undergoes major repair. Each nuclear power plant in Qinshan Nuclear Power Base has accomplished the assessment reports of seismic margin and has them approved; and has submitted examination appeals to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration) timely. Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant has signed contract with Russian party who will carry out the he seismic margin analysis .Russian experts are now conducting the site inspection in Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant.
Assessment of earthquake and tsunami’s influence on nuclear power plants	Thorough assessment of earthquake and tsunami’s influence on different plants of Daya Nuclear Power Base	The detailed assessment of earthquake and tsunami’s influence on plants in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base has been accomplished.
	Inter-departmental analysis of remote-focus (plate margin) earthquake’s influence on China coastal NPPs	The accurate calculation results worked out by Tianjin Port Engineering Institute Ltd. demonstrates that: the marine structures of all plants in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base could resist impact of the potential earthquake or tsunami which will not affect the safe and stable operation of the nuclear power plants.
Spent fuel pool monitoring and makeup water		Plants in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base have accomplished the formulation of spent fuel pool makeup water plan and the renovation of on-site water level monitoring under the conditions of whole plant power failure. The planned further improvement of spent fuel pool water level monitoring includes setting alarm at master control and setting displays at master control or other places. Plants in Qinshan Nuclear Power Base confirmed or upgraded through examination the operating manual and emergency procedures of the spent fuel pool. The requirements of spent fuel pool temperature and liquid level monitoring and control have further been clarified in the related procedures. The original design of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant includes spent fuel pool monitoring and water replenishing functions. Now the spent fuel pool system is being modified by adding interface device for the mobile pump water replenishing. Phase I project of Haiyang (Shandong) Nuclear Power has fully considered variety and safe reliability in its spent fuel pool liquid level monitoring plan. The spent fuel pool liquid level information could be monitored normally after accident and therefore needs no further fortification.
Adding facilities of portable power source and mobile pump		Plants in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base have added portable power devices and mobile diesel oil pump. They will further add a set of mobile power equipment, with its load capacity sufficient for the monitoring and control of security parameter, necessary communication, ventilation and lighting, and sealing of main pump and other temporary facilities. The allocation plan for mobile equipment of Qinshan Nuclear Power Base includes: 2 400V mobile diesel generator trucks (650kW), 1 MV mobile diesel generator trucks (about 1800kW) and 2 mobile diesel pumps (65m3/hr, 220m.H2O), with cables and pipes included. Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant has completed the bidding for the procurement of mobile diesel generators which are being manufactured; has completed the bidding for mobile diesel pumps which are being manufactured. Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant will add 2 portable power sources and 2 mobile pumps, with detailed design undergoing.
Addition or renovation of hydrogen recombiner system		Unit 1 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant has accomplished the renovation of hydrogen recombiner system; Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant and Unit 2 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant will add non kinetic hydrogen recombiners in follow-up major repair. Units 3 and 4 of Qinshan 2nd Nuclear Power Plant have added non kinetic hydrogen recombiner devices during construction and installation period. Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, units 1 and 2 of Qinshan 2nd Nuclear Power Plant and Qinshan 3rd Nuclear Power Plant will add non kinetic hydrogen recombiners in follow-up major repair. According to the assessment, AP1000 Hydrogen Monitoring System could reliably monitor hydrogen concentration in the containment when severe accident occurred, and hydrogen control system could effectively reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the containment and prevent events like hydrogen explosion that threaten the integrity of the containment. At the same time, The Severe Accident Management Guide also includes hydrogen monitoring and control measures, which meet different technical requirements for hydrogen monitoring and control system renovation.
Development or optimization of severe accident management guide (SAMG)		The SAMG for 6 units of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base has come into use; the demonstration of management equipment availability under severe accident of units 3 and 4 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant has been accomplished. The demonstrations for Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant and units 1 and 2 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant will be further carried out. The SAMGs for Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant and Qinshan 2nd Nuclear Power Plant have been worked out. The development of SAMG for units 1 and 2 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant under severe accident power conditions has been accomplished. The Original Accident Management Procedures and the Beyond Design Accident Management Guide of the Plant are being modified correspondingly. The nuclear power plants under construction have developed SAMG which will be improved before feeding, taking various accident conditions into consideration, such as the reactor shutdown.

From 2010 to 2012, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration) issued the following permits to nuclear power plants:

1. Site Selection Audit Review

1. On 4 May 2010, the site selection audit review for Units 5 and 6 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

2. On 19 September 2010, the site selection audit review for units 5 and 6 of Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

3. On 3 December 2012, the site selection audit review of units 3 and 4 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

2. Construction Permit

1. On 20 April 2010, the construction license for units 1 and 2 of Changjiang (Hainan Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

2. On 18 July 2010, the construction license for units 1 and 2 of West Fangchanggang (Guangxi Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

3. On 12 November 2010, the construction license for units 3 and 4 of Yangjiang (Guangdong Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

4. On 30 December 2010, the construction license for units 3 and 4 of Fuqing (Fujian Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

5. On 4 December 2012, the construction license for the demonstration project of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant of Huaneng Shidao Bay (Shandong Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

6. On 26 December 2012, the construction license for units 3 and 4 of Tianwan (Jiangsu Province) Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

3. The First Feeding Permit

1. On 20 April 2010, the first feeding permit for unit 3 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

2. On 28 May 2010, the first feeding permit for unit 3 of Qinshan Phase 2 Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

3. On 30 December 2010, the first feeding permit for unit 4 of LingAo Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

4. On 20 October 2011, the first feeding permit for unit 4 of Qinshan Phase 2 Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

5. On 27 September 2012, the first feeding permit for unit 1 of Ningde Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

6. On 15 November 2012, the first feeding permit for unit 1 of Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

1. Operating License

7. On 28 May 2010, the operation license for units 1 and 2 of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant was issued.

8. On 23 November 2011, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration) renewed the operation license for Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, units 1 and 2 of Qinshan 2nd Nuclear Power Plant and units 1 and 2 of Qinshan 3rd Nuclear Power Plant because of the modification of management mode and the renovation of operation mode of existing nuclear power plants. The renewed license will be shared by the owner and the NPP operator, and the safety responsibility will be assumed by both sides. The organizations that share the renewed license are Qinshan Nuclear Power Company Limited and China Nuclear Power Operation and Management Company Limited, Nuclear Power Qinshan Associated Limited and China Nuclear Power Operation and Management Company Limited, Qinshan 3rd Nuclear Power Company Limited and China Nuclear Power Operation and Management Company Limited, respectively.

In May and October 2012, China’s State Council Executive Meeting debriefed the reports on the comprehensive inspection on nuclear facilities and approved in succession Twelfth Five Year Plan and 2020 Vision for Nuclear safety and Radioactive Pollution Prevention, 2011-2020 Planning for Nuclear Power Safety, and the amended 2011-2020 Mid-long Term Development Planning for Nuclear Power, according to which, by 2020, China will have constructed nuclear power units of 58GW with another 30 GW under construction.

By 31 December 2012, China has approved the construction of 3 nuclear power units (not under construction yet) and the preliminary preparation of 14 nuclear power units.

TABLE 8. APPROVED PREPARATORY WORK FOR NNP CONSTRUCTION

Project Name	Model	Installed Capacity (MW)	Expected Const. Year	Expected Operate Year
Approved NNP Const.
YANGJIANG UNIT 5	ACPR1000	1086	2013	2018
YANGJIANG UNIT 6	ACPR1000	1086	2014	2019
TIANWAN UNIT 4	VVER1000	1060	2013	——
Approved Preparatory Work For NNP Const.
HAIYANG UNIT 3
HAIYANG UNIT 4
TIANWAN UNIT 5
TIANWAN UNIT 6
XUDABAO UNIT 1
XUDABAO UNIT 2
LUFENG UNIT 1
LUFENG UNIT 2
HONGYANHE UNIT 5
HONGYANHE UNIT 6
FUQING UNIT 5
FUQING UNIT 6
SANMEN UNIT 3
SANMEN UNIT 4

Chinese government implements effective plan, instruction, supervision and management of nuclear power development. The major departments engaged in the development of China’s nuclear power include: The China Atomic Energy Authority, the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) and the Ministry of Health. The final approval of nuclear power projects is discussed and decided by the China’s State Council Executive Meeting.

The National Energy Administration and the China Atomic Energy Authority are responsible for the planning, instruction and approval in the nuclear power and nuclear fuel cycle industry respectively; the Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) and the Ministry of Health are in charge of the supervision of nuclear power plant safety, radiation protection and dose monitoring during the process of nuclear power development.

Presently, of the nuclear power projects whose construction and preliminary work has been approved, the stock is held by China National Nuclear Corporation, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group and China Power Investment Corporation respectively. Their subsidiary nuclear power companies, as the owners, are responsible for the construction and operation of the nuclear power projects.

The nuclear power projects with their construction or preliminary preparation approved all belong to large state-owned enterprises. The fundraising of the nuclear power projects are mainly carried out by the holding group companies of each project. China permits the eligible social capital to participate in new nuclear power projects as an equity participant.

The Chinese government formulated the Safety Regulations of NPP Site Selection on the account of protecting the public and environment from excessive radiation caused by radiation accident, and in consideration of nuclear power plants’ normal release of radioactive materials. In it the following factors are to be taken into consideration in the site selection of nuclear power plants:

The possible external natural events or human-caused events in the surroundings of a certain site that may affect the nuclear power plant;

Site and environmental features that may cause the transfer of the released radioactive materials to human body;

Density, distribution and other characteristics of population of the peripheral zone related to the possibility of implementing emergency measures and assessing personal and group risk.

According to the Safety Regulations of NPP Site Selection and the development plan of nuclear power, China has chosen many alternative nuclear power plant sites in coastal and inland regions.

China is one of the countries most abundant in uranium in the world. By the end of 2012, China had made good progress in uranium exploration and natural uranium exploration both at home and aboard, and more than 350 proven uranium deposits had formed large-scale uranium resources bases.

In the field of nuclear fuel processing, including uranium conversion, uranium enrichment and fuel assembly manufacturing, China is capable of scale production and can provide nuclear fuel assembly for various kinds of power plants to meet the need of nuclear power development.

China has adopted the closed nuclear fuel cycle technology. The first pilot plant for reprocessing power reactor spent fuel has been built and China is planning to build large spent fuel reprocessing plants.

In the field of radioactive waste disposal management, China has constructed national medium and low radioactive waste disposal processing plants in the region where medium and low radioactive waste disposal are relatively concentrated (Southern China, Southwestern China, Northwestern China). Preliminary research and development in high radioactive waste disposal management has been conducted.

China National Nuclear Corporation is the main supplier of nuclear fuel in China. Six subsidiaries of CNNC, namely China Nuclear Jinyuan Uranium Company, China North Nuclear Fuel Co. Ltd, China South Nuclear Fuel Co. Ltd, Lanzhou Uranium Enrichment Co. Ltd, Shannxi Uranium Enrichment Co. Ltd, and The 404 Co. Ltd, CNNC, as well as CGNPC Uranium Company subordinate to China General Nuclear Power Corporation, are main producers of natural uranium and nuclear fuel.

(1) Laws and Regulations on Waste Management

The Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution issued by the Chinese Government have clarified requirements in the management of radioactive waste, providing a legal support for the goals of radioactive waste management. The Law states that in prevention and control of radioactive pollution, the State applies the principles of putting prevention first, combining prevention and control measures, exercising rigorous control, and giving priority to safety,thus establishing an efficient system for monitoring radioactive pollution. The administrative department for environmental protection under the State Council shall conduct nationwide coordinate supervision and management of radioactive pollution protection and prevention. In conjunction with the relevant departments under the State Council, NPP operators shall emit exhaust gas and waste liquid in a legal manner. NPP operators shall apply for the radionuclide emission from the department responsible for environmental impacts assessment and report periodically the result of measurement. Radioactive waste liquid which cannot be emitted into the nature shall be properly disposed or stored. Low and medium solid radioactive waste shall be disposed near the surface in prescribed areas; high solid radioactive waste shall be backfilled deep into the earth in a centralized way.

The most recently adopted Regulation on the Safety Management of Radioactive Waste has specified the disposition, storage, treatment, supervision and management of radioactive waste. The Regulation states that the proper management of radioactive waste shall stick to the principle of reduction, decontamination, proper management and permanent safety. China implements the policy of categorized management. Ministry of Environment Protection is responsible for the safety supervision and management of radioactive waste nationwide and is involved in establishing a national radioactive waste management information system together with departments in charge of nuclear industry and other relevant departments so as to share information.

(2) Waste Management of NPP

China NPP operating enterprises draw up and implement the Outline of Waste Management and draw up measures concerning waste treatment, waste storage and disposition, effective limitation on radioactive liquid effluents. The Outline, approved by the Ministry of Environment Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration) before it came into effect, keeps the effluents within the operation limit and condition.

NPP operating enterprises conduct effective waste management and relevant activities by stipulating detailed procedures in accordance with design intent and hypothesis, and by implementing proper supervision, training and quality assurance measures, so as to reduce probability of abnormal events correlated with waste management system and minimize radioactive waste.

China’s NPPs have adopted series of effective measures to reduce and control the radioactive waste, monitor the procedure wherever produces waste so as to provide the source and feature of radioactive waste and prove the procedure was in accordance with the operating rules and regulations. The monitoring results show that the effluents of radioactive liquid during operation is far less than the maximum limitation set by Chinese Government.

China’s NPPs have enough equipment to store the waste produced during normal operation and predicted operation events. Excessive storage of untreated waste should be avoided when processing the waste. The record and data of waste storage shall be saved in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

(3) Spent Fuel Management

To ensure and maintain the integrity and subcritical limits of the spent fuel, China’s NPPs use approved equipments to handle and store spent fuel in approved facilities in accordance with the written procedures. The underwater storage of spent fuel and the water quality conform to stipulated chemical and physical properties. Decommissioning storage of spent fuel has been well-prepared. NPPs in operation have signed agreements with relevant technology service enterprises to specify disposition ways of spent fuel, and the responsibilities of outside transport and storage. NPPs under construction have also signed long term service agreements and spent fuel receiving and storage agreements with relevant technology service enterprises. These mark the readiness of preparation for decommissioning of NPPs in China.

China’s main nuclear power R&D organizations include:

1. China Institute of Atomic Energy

2. Nuclear Power Institute of China

3. Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research&Design Institute

4. China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute

5. Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute

6. Research Institute of Nuclear Power Operation

7. China Institute for Radiation Protection

8. Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University

During thirty odd years’ development, China nuclear power as a whole has stuck to the guideline of both absorbing foreign technologies and independent research and development. China independently designed and constructed Qinshan 300 MW NPP in December, 1991. Besides, China has acquired the design and construction technology of 600 MW and 1 GW pressurized water reactors by digesting and absorbing the M310 technology adopted in Daya Bay NPP.

Although China is a latecomer in nuclear power, it has a higher starting point. Hence by making use of this advantage, absorbing various advanced technologies and experience gained from NPP operation and management, China’s operating NPPs have improved continuously with their performance above the middle level in the world.

To further enhance the safety and technological standards as well as the capability in tackling extreme disasters, China, having drawn the experience and feedback from the disaster of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, launched research on the safety technology for NPPs both operational and under construction to handle accidents beyond design basis in 2012. All the measures above are aimed to transform the experience and feedback from Fukushima accident into advanced nuclear power safety technology to enhance China’s NPPs safety and resistance against extreme disasters.

To realize sustainable development of nuclear power, China has implemented a “Three-Step Development” strategy namely, epithermal reactor, fast neutron reactor and controlled nuclear fusion, giving priority to million kW level pressurized water reactor, actively pushing forward the basic research, development, design and construction of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, commercial reactor and other NPPs with good safety performance, paying heed to increase the capacity of independent innovation so as to make China a power in nuclear energy.

China is actively absorbing and re-innovating AP1000 technology. As independent projects, the first batch of four AP1000 units is under construction in Sanmen, Zhejiang and Haiyang, Shandong.

Driven by major projects for science and technology development such as Large Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor and High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactor, China has completed the primary design of CAP1400. In the mean time, China’s nuclear power enterprises are developing new reactors of ACP1000 and ACPR1000 with independent intellectual property rights and in accordance with the Generation ? Standard.

In December 2012, the construction of demonstration project Shandong Shidaowan High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactor was launched. Further upgrading and project demonstrating will be implemented after its completion so as to reach the Generation ? Standard as early as possible.

In July, 2011, China’s experimental fast reactor was successfully integrated into the power grid network. At present, research and development of key technology for a large demonstrative fast reactor is under way. China is exerting its effort to launch the construction of demonstration project before 2020.

Meanwhile, China places emphasis on the development of other advanced nuclear power technology, such as minor-scale reactor, floating nuclear power reactor, space nuclear power reactor, traveling-wave reactor, high-temperature fused salt reactor and nuclear fusion reactor.

China has actively participated in most of the existing multilateral international cooperation mechanism on nuclear power research and development and relevant promotion initiatives.

In 2001 China participated in the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) guided by the IAEA. So far, China has designated specialists to attend the steering committee, seminars, and technical conferences of INPRO and assisted INPRO with its various tasks.

In August, 2006, China formally joined the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). So far, China has participated in the steering committees of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor and of sodium-cooled fast reactor. A few officials and specialists from China have become members in the task force of GIF policy group, panel, and high consultative committee for nuclear industry, physical protection and non-proliferation group, fully participating in the work of GIF.

China supports and is one of the five founding members of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) which renamed as INFNEC. China actively participates in the work of INFNEC and holds the post of vice president of INFNEC.

China gives priority to a forward-looking international cooperation programme concerning the long-term energy supply of human beings. In September of 2006, China’s president approved the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Implementation Agreement and formally joined the ITER program. China set up the special program of “International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Implementation Program” to organize ITER program. So far, Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences and Southwestern Institute of Physics has conducted feasibility research on China’s ITER procurement package. Until May, 2010, China had signed with ITER five agreements on procurement package. Relevant institutes have been researching and manufacturing according to the agreements.

Acting on the guideline of “combining independent research and development with international cooperation”, China has been valuing cooperation and exchange with foreign countries on nuclear power projects from the very beginning of nuclear power development. At present, China has established profound cooperation with France, Russia, United States, and Canada in terms of NPP construction, pressurized water reactor, heavy water reactor, high temperature reactor and fast reactor. The cooperation has been proved fruitful.

The regulator for China's nuclear safety is the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) (National Nuclear Safety Administration, NNSA), the main duties of which include:

(1) It is responsible for the supervision and management of nuclear and radiation safety. It draws up and puts into implementation the related policies, plans, laws, administrative regulations and departmental rules, standards and specifications, concerning nuclear and radiation safety, electromagnetic radiation, radiation environmental protection, nuclear and radiation emergency.

(2) It is responsible for the coordinated supervision and management on nuclear safety of nuclear facilities, radiation safety and radiation environmental protection.

(3) It is responsible for the licensing, design, manufacture, and installation of nuclear safety equipment, the supervision and management of nondestructive inspection activities, and the safety inspection of imported nuclear safety equipment.

(4) It is responsible for the supervision and management of the controlling and physical protection of nuclear materials.

(5) It is responsible for the supervision and management of nuclear technology projects, and radiation safety and radiation environmental protection of uranium (thorium) and accompanying radioactive mines. It is also in charge of the supervision and management in radiation protection.

(6) It is responsible for the supervision and management of radioactive waste treatment and radiation safety of disposal and environmental protection work, and the supervision and examination of the prevention and control of radioactive pollution.

(7) It is responsible for the supervision and management of radioactive substance transportation safety.

(8) It is responsible for the nuclear and radiation emergency response, investigation and handling in the Ministry of Environmental Protection (National Nuclear Safety Administration), also involved in the prevention and treatment of nuclear and radiation terrorism.

(9) It is responsible for the personnel qualification administration of operators for reactor and nuclear equipment.

(10) It carries out supervision and monitoring over the ambient radiation, nuclear facilities, and the major source of radiation.

(11) It is responsible for the domestic implementation of related international convention concerning nuclear and radiation safety.

(12) It is obliged to guide the related business involving nuclear and radiation safety surveillance sites.

China's nuclear power plant licenses include:

(1) Site selection audit review;

(2) Construction permit;

(3) Commission permit;

(4) Operation permit;

(5) Operator permit;

(6) Examination and approval documents of environmental impact, statements, and evaluation report of NNP occupational disease hazard during the phases of site selection, construction and operation;

(7) Other documents that are required to be approved, including decommissioning permit, etc.

The application and approval process for permit is shown in Picture 3.

Picture 3: The application & approval of license & permit

The applicants shall submit the application and safety analysis report and the other relevant documents in line with rules and regulations for approval by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration)before they conduct nuclear activities.

In the process of examination and approval, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration) shall solicit opinions and advice from the relevant departments of the State Council, and the provincial, autonomous regional and municipality governments where NPP locates.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection (the National Nuclear Safety Administration) decides whether to issue a permit, and provides necessary permit conditions after having obtained the technical evaluation results, consulted the relevant departments of the State Council and the local governments, and received consultation and deliberation of Nuclear Safety Committee of Experts.