The Multiple Values of "Quick Start" New Nuclear Power Construction
Source: China Nuclear Industry News Date: 2014-06-18
On June 13, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Chairman of the Central Financial Leading Group chaired the sixth meeting of the Central Financial Leading Group to study China's energy security strategy. What excites the nuclear power industry is that at this meeting, Xi Jinping demanded that: under the premise of adopting the highest international safety standards and ensuring safety, start building new nuclear power projects in the eastern coastal areas.
No doubt, for the nuclear power industry, this is another piece of good news.
From "Start in Time" to "Hurry Up"
Two months ago, Prime Minister Li Keqiang stated at the first meeting of the new National Energy Commission that he would “start up” new nuclear power in the eastern coastal areas in a timely manner. This time, President Xi Jinping has promoted it to “quick start”. Some analysts said that this kind of positive wording about the start of nuclear power has never been in at least the past three years.
之后 After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in March 2011, China's nuclear power experienced a one-and-a-half year incubation period. In March of that year, the Chinese government made a decision to immediately organize a comprehensive safety inspection of Chinese nuclear facilities and a comprehensive review of nuclear power plants under construction; the approval of nuclear power projects was suspended until the nuclear safety plan was approved. This policy was not adjusted until October 2012. At the time, the State Council executive meeting adopted a series of nuclear energy plans, including the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan for Energy Development", "Nuclear Power Safety Plan (2011-2020)" and "Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan for Nuclear Power (2011-2020)", It marks the restart of the nuclear power project under construction after 18 months of dormancy.
5In May this year, three ministries and commissions of the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued the “Work Plan for Strengthening the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution in the Energy Industry”, and proposed to run nuclear power generating units at the end of 2017 to reach 50 million kilowatts. However, some experts believe that even if all 28 units under construction are estimated to be only 48 million kilowatts.
In the previous National Energy Commission, Li Keqiang said, "Promote the transformation of energy production and consumption methods, improve the level of green, low-carbon and intelligent development of energy, implement energy-saving emission reduction measures to declare war on pollution such as smog, and strengthen ecological protection." Taking the adjustment of the energy structure as a starting point to control smog is considered to be the highlight of the first meeting of the National Energy Commission. At the meeting on June 13, Xi Jinping once again emphasized the "same meaning": Faced with new changes in the energy supply and demand pattern and new trends in international energy development, to ensure national energy security, we must promote the energy production and consumption revolution, and we must do it from the present. In order to accelerate the implementation of key tasks and major measures.
Multiple values make nuclear power the "most suitable option"
Behind the "high-profile statement" of high-level nations, public opinion believes that the "fast start" of nuclear power in the eastern coastal areas is the general trend in the global energy reform pattern. At the same time, the mission given to nuclear power in China is to combat haze and optimize the energy structure. In addition, it has the responsibility to boost the economy. Under the current downward pressure on the economy, the country will start construction of a number of major energy projects such as nuclear power, UHV power transmission, solar power generation bases, large hydropower stations, and so on, and nuclear power will become the "most suitable" s Choice". According to Liu Qiang, a new energy expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, "In fact, the development of nuclear energy is a substitute for coal energy. Considering the actual situation of China's current economic development, the predicament of China's nuclear power development is not great."
As we all know, the proportion of nuclear energy in China's energy structure is still low, and the calls for nuclear power development and recent energy sector reforms are also reflecting the current social development requirements for energy transition.
Professor He Jiankun of Tsinghua University said at the 4th China Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development Forum held in mid-May: In order to ensure the security of energy supply, new trends have emerged in the energy strategies of developed countries. The "fifth largest energy source", which includes petroleum, natural gas and nuclear energy, places equal emphasis on energy conservation and development. At the same time, new energy and renewable energy such as nuclear, hydropower, wind power, solar energy, and biomass are used as alternative energy sources. Technology research and development and industrialization efforts have been strengthened to reduce dependence on fossil energy sources such as petroleum and coal. The core of the revolutionary reform of the energy system is the new energy system with new energy and renewable energy as the main body gradually replacing the current traditional energy system with fossil energy as the pillar.
Correspondingly, at present, countries around the world have stepped up their efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Britain, France, Germany and other major EU member states have set development goals for renewable energy sources to generate more than 80% of electricity by 2050.
China has also made great efforts in energy conservation and mitigation of CO2 emissions, and achieved significant results. However, as the bases of new and renewable energy sources are still low in China's energy structure, their rapidly increasing supply still cannot meet the growth of total energy demand. Coal consumption has still increased by 45.4% from 2005 to 2012. It has also formed a more pressing backward force mechanism.
Our country has a vast area and a large energy demand. It requires the coordinated development of new energy technologies and complementary advantages. If nuclear power is not developed, more coal power will be developed. This is the choice between nuclear power and coal power. While the current power demand in developed countries is basically saturated, new power stations are compared and selected between various renewable energy sources and nuclear energy to replace the original coal power. Therefore, China's need to develop nuclear power is actually more urgent than developed countries.
At the same time, He Jiankun believes that the development trend of global energy reform will trigger major changes in economic and social development methods worldwide, thereby affecting changes in the international economic and technological competition pattern. Capturing the competitive advantages and commanding heights of advanced energy technologies is also an important motivation and strategic goal for large countries to participate in the game of climate change. Developed countries also aim to expand their markets to developing countries, expand new economic growth points, and enhance their economic vitality by virtue of their own technological advantages in the fields of energy efficiency and new energy. The nuclear energy industry has high technological content, complex systems, long R & D cycles, and huge investment. Only a few large countries can participate in and dominate the development and industrialization of nuclear energy in the world. It is the most cutting-edge and most monopolistic high-tech industry in the low-carbon technology field. Independently mastering advanced nuclear energy technology is also a manifestation of a country's core competitiveness, and nuclear energy should become an important area for China to create a competitive advantage in advanced technology worldwide.
The "Spring of Nuclear Power Equipment Manufacturing" Arrives
It is also based on the above-mentioned "nuclear power value" that "starting a new nuclear power project" is logical. This also means that the nuclear power units that have been planned and approved have entered the countdown to the start of the operation. After a full 3 years of dormancy, China New projects for coastal nuclear power are expected to set off another wave of construction this year.
The upcoming climax of plutonium has also made the industry generally bullish on the nuclear power equipment industry that had been temporarily silent. On the day the news of "Hurry Up" was announced, the nuclear power concept stocks had already risen.
With such expectations, the nuclear power equipment industry has waited for several years. "Today, three years after the Fukushima nuclear accident, the industry has only begun to feel the spring of the development of new nuclear power in China." Said Miao Deming, chief engineer of the nuclear department of Shanghai Electric. "The Fukushima nuclear accident has greatly damaged the vitality of China Nuclear Power Equipment Group. Over the past three years, the sharp decline in orders has challenged the equipment group's previous development strategy."
Until this year, the number of orders from China ’s nuclear power equipment group has “rebounded and surged.” It is believed that the spring of the nuclear power equipment industry will really come after a clear statement from the top officials of the country. (According to the Southern Metropolis Daily and China Nuclear Energy Industry Association's relevant information comprehensive report)