Construction on the four nuclear power projects and eight units to be built during the "ninth Five Year Plan" began and is expected to be fully operational during the "10th Five-year Plan". According to the China Atomic Energy Authority, the quality, progress, and investments into the four nuclear power plants are all proceeding smoothly. The plants will lay a solid foundation for the scheduled integration grids and power generators.

These four nuclear projects are Qingshang Phase 2, Qingshan Phase 3, Lingao and Tianwan nuclear power stations. They have a total installation capacity of 6.6 million kilowatt, three times that of the nuclear power plants Qingshan Phase 1 and Dayawan currently up and running. Zhang Huazhu, director of China Atomic Energy Authority points out that the beginning of construction on the four nuclear projects during the "ninth Five Year Plan" signifies that China is out of the preliminary stages of nuclear power construction.

Zhang points out that the development of China's nuclear power industry must take the road of national production, using the current technology and equipment to be able to design nuclear power plants without foreign help. By using Sino-foreign joint ventures to attract the newest technology, China should set the goal of being able to design, construct, manufacture and operate nuclear power plants by itself. The safety in the Qingshang Phase 1 and Dayawan nuclear power stations should be stressed along with quality of construction quality.

(People's Daily 07/21/2000)