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The Japanese disaster might prompt Chinese officials to be more conservative, but nuclear power still will play a key role in their energy plans, said Xianfang Ren, China economist for IHS Global Insight. "The country has basically been at its top capacity building nuclear power plants in the past few years, which is causing shortage in supply of nuclear equipment and technicians," said Ren in a report. "There is a likelihood that policymakers may take a more conservative approach in the short term, taking into account both the safety issue and the supply constraint for nuclear power plant equipment and technicians." China has 13 nuclear reactors with about 10 gigawatts of generating capacity and plans call for expanding that to about 40 gigawatts by 2015. An additional 28 reactors are under construction. Beijing says it is reviewing safety at China's nuclear plants following the disaster in Japan. Few details have been released but state television said last week technicians were assessing safeguards at the coastal Daya Bay nuclear plant north of Hong Kong, including sea walls to shield against a tsunami. Beijing is promoting nuclear, wind, solar and other alternative energy to curb surging demand for imported oil and gas and to reduce environmental damage from heavy reliance on coal. Its latest economic plan calls for alternative sources to supply at least 11.4 percent of China's power by 2015.
[Associated
Press;
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