China is planning to build 30 nuclear power generators by the year 2020. The General Manager of the China National Nuclear Corporation, the nation's largest nuclear power conglomerate, made the announcement on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Kang Rixin said that the new power generators will have a total capacity of 40,000 megawatts, which would account for 4 percent of the country's total power output.

General Manager of China National Nuclear Corp. Kang Rixin said, "The building of the 30 nuclear power generators requires an investment of around 400 billion yuan. For their construction, we are going to introduce the most advanced technology in the world. Meanwhile, our company will upgrade research and development capability in nuclear technologies and create our own brands in the future."

Kang added that the move comes at a time when the country has decided to speed up development of nuclear power amid widespread electricity shortages.

Kang said by the end of 2003, nuclear energy accounted for 1.6 percent of the nation's total power generation capacity.

The state has already listed the nuclear power industry as a priority in its high technology research and development plan. It is calling for the industry to grow at an annual rate of 15 percent in the coming five years.

(CCTV.com June 7, 2005)