Newspaper: China's nuke power targets 5% of national energy mix by 2020

Photo taken Dec. 26, 2008 shows a huge construction site of the expansion project of the two million-kw generating units in the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in Haiyan, east China's Zhejiang Province. The two new generating units are scheduled to be completed and put into operation by the year of 2013 and 2014 respectively.(Chinese media File Photo)
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BEIJING, Feb. 4 (Chinese media) -- The country aims to

nearly double its nuclear power capacity to 70 gigawatts (GW), comprising 5

percent of the national energy mix by 2020, the national English language

newspaper China Daily reported Wednesday.

The target was set in the country's latest revision

of its energy development plans, as made in 2006, which aimed for 40 GW, the

newspaper said.

But the revision is still awaiting approval from the

State Council, China Daily cited another newspaper, the 21st Century Business

Herald as saying.

The energy authorities would start building 8 more

nuclear power plants in the next three years, with 16 reactors whose total

installed capacity will surpass 10 GW, according to a quote from the National

Energy Administration (NEA) sources carried by the report.

There are currently 11 nuclear reactors in operation

with a combined capacity of about 9 GW, supplying more than 1 percent of the

country's energy demand, according to China Daily.

The newspaper said the country would also invest 580

billion yuan (84.8 billion U.S. dollars) in the power industry alone this year,

citing the state broadcaster China Central Television.

China will also step up efforts to develop renewable

energies such as wind and solar power, promote the mergers and acquisitions of

coal-fired power plants, and upgrade the country's energy structure, said Zhang

Guobao, the NEA Director, at a national energy conference held Tuesday in

Beijing.