The status quo of Chinaʹs nuclear power and the uranium gap solution

Mainland China has eleven nuclear power reactors in commercial operation; six are under construction, and several more are slated for development in the near future. Additional reactors are planned, including some of the worldʹs most advanced, to give a fivefold increase in nuclear capacity up to 40 GWe by 2020, and then a further three to fourfold increase to 120–160 GWe by 2030. The natural uranium supply, however, does not correspond to the speed of nuclear power development because of low production and poor deposits. After examining the existing nuclear power status quo in China, this paper provides an experimental model and a calculation method for the natural uranium needed that is based on the nuclear capacity to be installed in 2014. The natural uranium gap is further discussed through an analysis of the uranium resource distribution, reserves, and production in China, together with approaches to fill the gap. To meet the imminent uranium peak that will be required for fuel demands, China should diversify natural uranium sources and develop advanced nuclear power systems to save fuel. We kindly thank Mr. Graham Andrew, DGO, IAEA, for handing the manuscript to Mr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly and Mr. Jan Slezak for review. We also thank Mr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly and Mr. Jan Slezak of the IAEA for their careful reviewing of the paper and for offering very valuable comments. Many thanks also goes to Ms. Du Qingfeng for polishing the manuscript.