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develop, questions over safety and regulatory oversight, and questions about the commercialcontract between Westinghouse and the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC).Figure 28: Age of Chinese Reactor FleetSources: IAEA‐PRIS, MSC, June 2015Despite these uncertainties and problems, the State Council published in November 2014 theEnergy Development Strategy Action Plan 2014–2020, which proposed specific targets for theincrease of the share of non‐fossil fuels in the total primary energy mix from 9.8 percent in 2013to 15 percent in 2020. This includes an increase of nuclear capacity to 58 GW by 2020, with anadditional minimum of 30 GW under construction at the same time. 435 While the target isundoubtedly ambitious—and even industry strategists consider that “it now seems almost certainthat it cannot be reached”—it is in fact 12 GW below the target recommended by the State CouncilResearch Office (SCRO) in 2011 and a very significant reduction in the 130 GW forecast byofficials in 2010. However, even meeting this revised target will be difficult and will require thecompletion of all of the existing construction plus the ordering and completion of an addition 12GW by 2020. Concerns have been raised about the safety implications of such a rapid constructionprogram. The State Council’s plan also envisages an installed capacity of 350 GW of hydro, 200GW of wind, and 100 GW of solar photovoltaics by 2020. Many observers expect the wind andsolar targets to be exceeded.At the heart of the slowdown in nuclear development in China is the cancellation of projects andplans to build reactors inland, with all operating reactors currently found on the coast. It isreported that no inland plants will be started under the 12 th Five‐Year Plan, which finishes at theend of 2015, and discussions are underway about whether they will be included in the following13 th Plan now being formed. This is in marked contrast to 2007, when it was anticipated that ofthe more than 40 sites reserved for the development of nuclear power plants, 31 were inland. Intotal, 17 of the 29 mainland provinces have inland nuclear sites reserved. 436 While it would seemlikely that the industry may eventually move inland, it is far from clear where and at what speed.The most controversial issue, inside and outside the nuclear sector, appears to be potential sitingof reactors along the Changjiang River. With the rate of growth in electricity consumption slowingconsiderably—only 3.8 percent growth in 2014 compared to a 6.5–7.5 percent forecast—new435 NIW, “China—Inland Nuclear Developers Await Policy Change”, 2 January 2015.436 Ibidem.Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al. World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2015 114

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