Nuclear Power in China - World Nuclear Association
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Nuclear Power in China
Updated Friday, 24 April 2026
The impetus for nuclear power in China is due to air pollution from coal-fired plants, as well as climate commitments and energy security.
China’s policy is to have a closed nuclear fuel cycle.
China has become largely self-sufficient in reactor design and construction, but is making full use of Western technology while adapting it.
Relative to the rest of the world, a major strength is the nuclear supply chain.
China’s policy is to ‘go global’ with exporting nuclear technology including heavy components in the supply chain.
61<br>Operable<br>Reactors<br>60,289 MWe
39<br>Reactors Under<br>Construction<br>41,074 MWe
Reactors<br>Shutdown<br>0 MWe
Operable nuclear power capacity
Electricity sector
Total generation (in 2023): 9548 TWh
Generation mix: coal 5857 TWh (61%); hydro 1286 TWh (13%); wind 886 TWh (9%); solar 584 TWh (6%); nuclear 435 TWh (5%); natural gas 283 TWh (3%); biofuels & waste 206 TWh (2%).
Import/export balance: 17.1 TWh net export (5.0 TWh imports; 22.1 TWh exports)
Total consumption: 8013 TWh
Per capita consumption: c. 5700 kWh in 2023
Source: International Energy Agency and The World Bank. Data for year 2023.
Rapid growth in demand has given rise to power shortages, and the reliance on fossil fuels has led to much air pollution. The economic loss due to pollution is put by the World Bank at almost 6% of GDP,1 and the new leadership from March 2013 prioritized this.* Chronic and widespread smog in the east of the country is attributed to coal burning.
* Official measurements of fine particles in the air measuring less than 2.5 micrometres, which pose the greatest health risk, rose to a record 993 micrograms per cubic metre in Beijing on 12 January 2013, compared with World Health Organization guidelines of no higher than 25.
In August 2013 the State Council said that China should reduce its carbon emissions by 40-45% by 2020 from 2005 levels, and would aim to boost renewable energy to 15% of its total primary energy consumption by 2020. In 2012 China was the world’s largest source of carbon emissions – 2626 MtC (9.64 Gt CO2), and its increment that year comprised about 70% of the world total increase. In March 2014 the Premier said that the government was declaring “war on pollution” and would accelerate closing coal-fired power stations.
In November 2014 the Premier announced that China intended about 20% of its primary energy consumption to be from non-fossil fuels by 2030, at which time it intended its peak of CO2 emissions to occur. This 20% target is part of the 13th Five-Year Plan and was reiterated at the Paris climate change conference in December 2015, along with reducing CO2 emissions by 60-65% from 2005 levels by 2030. In September 2020, the Premier stated that the country now intends to reach peak emissions before 2030, and to become carbon neutral before 2060.
In the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) for power production announced by the National Energy Administration (NEA) in November 2016, coal capacity was to be limited to 1100 GWe by 2020 by cancelling and postponing about 150 GWe of projects. Gas in 2020 was projected at 110 GWe, hydro 340 GWe, wind 210 GWe, and solar 110 GWe, of which distributed PV was to be 60 GWe. Nuclear 58 GWe was reiterated for 2020.
China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) set a target to reach 70 GWe gross of nuclear capacity by the end of 2025. By the end of 2025, operating capacity reached about 62 GWe, with a further 43 GWe under construction.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), approved in March 2026, targets 110 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2030.
The grid system run by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) and China Southern Power Grid Co (CSG) is sophisticated and rapidly growing, utilizing ultra high voltage (1000 kV AC and 800 kV DC) transmission. In 2024, SGCC invested about CNY 600 billion on the grid system.
The main nuclear operators are China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), with SPIC (via its nuclear power business State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation – SNPTC) a third one.
Energy policy and clean air
While coal is the main energy source, most reserves are in the north or northwest and present an enormous logistical problem – nearly half the country's rail capacity is used in transporting coal. Because of the heavy reliance on old coal-fired plant, electricity generation accounts for much of the country's air pollution, which is a strong reason to increase nuclear share. China is by far the world’s largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions. Gas consumption in 2025 is expected to exceed 450 billion cubic metres according to China National Petroleum Corp. Of that, just over half will be produced domestically. The...