China builds the bomb (Book by John Wilson Lewis)
China builds the bomb (Book by John Wilson Lewis)
=== 2013 – 2024 ===
=== 2013 – ===
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{{Bar graph|title=Annual installed net nuclear power capacity in China (2014-2024)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nuclear Power in China |publisher=World Nuclear Association |date=2 October 2025 |url=https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/china-nuclear-power}}</ref>|float=right|bar_width=21|width_units=em|data_max=99|label_type=Year|data_type=gigawatts|label1=2014|data1=19.0|label2=2015|data2=26.8|label3=2016|data3=31.4|label4=2017|data4=34.5|label5=2018|data5=42.8|label6=2019|data6=45.5|label7=2020|data7=47.5|label8=2021|data8=50.0|label9=2022|data9=52.1|label10=2023|data10=53.2|label11=2024|data11=56.7|label12=|data12=|label13=|data13=|label14=|data14=|label15=|data15=}}
DONE:
DONE:
Drafting:
Drafting:
In 2021, the [[Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee]] announced an action plan which emphasized the deployment and development of next-generation nuclear power technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=【ACTION PLAN FOR CARBON DIOXIDE PEAKING BEFORE 2030】-National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) People’s Republic of China |url=https://en.ndrc.gov.cn/policies/202110/t20211027_1301020.html |access-date=October 7, 2025 |website=en.ndrc.gov.cn}}</ref>
As of September 2025, China is the largest global investor in nuclear energy, with 29 reactors currently in construction. This represents almost half of all nuclear reactors being built. At this rate, China will overtake the United States as the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy.
As of 2025, China is the world’s largest investor in nuclear energy, with 29 reactors currently in construction. This represents nearly half of all nuclear reactors being built globally. China is projected to surpass the United States as the world’s leading producer of nuclear energy in the coming years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=George |last2=Saric |first2=Dejana |last3=Sohan |first3=Misha |date=Sep 25, 2025 |title=The New Nuclear Age: Why the World Is Rethinking Atomic Power |url=https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/new-nuclear-age-why-the-world-is-rethinking-atomic-power |url-status=live}}</ref> This expansion is consistent with the country’s stated climate strategy. In terms of total prospective capacity, China is number one with nearly 125 GWe announced and in construction, almost four times second-place Russia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Nuclear Power Tracker |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-nuclear-power-tracker/ |access-date=October 7, 2025 |website=Global Energy Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref>
In terms of total prospective nuclear power, China is number one with nearly 125 GWe announced and in construction, almost four times second-place Russia.
Work on turning this table into a bar chart or something similar:
{| class=”wikitable”
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|Operating
|Construction
|Pre-construction
|Announced
|”’Prospective”’ (Sum of Construction, Pre-construction, Announced)
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|gross electrical capacity (megawatts)
|60,898
|38,516
|26,736
|59,662
|124,914
|}
{{Vertical bar chart
{{Vertical bar chart
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Article Draft
1950–1958
In the Cold War, the initial motivation of developing nuclear power for Beijing was largely due to security purposes. Between 1950 and 1958, Chinese nuclear power construction heavily relied on cooperation with the USSR. The first initiative was launched with the establishment of the China-Soviet Union Nonferrous Metals and Rare Metals Corporation and the first central atomic research facility, the Institute of Atomic Energy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. In February 1955, a chemical separation plant for the production of weapons-grade U-235 and plutonium was created with Soviet aid in Xinjiang and in April the Changchun Institute of Atomic Energy was established. Several months later, on 29 April 1955, the Sino-Soviet Atomic Cooperation Treaty was signed. The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) was also established in 1955. In addition to the cooperation with the USSR, China has started to learn nuclear technology by sending students to the USSR. In December 1958, nuclear power development had become the top priority project in the Draft Twelve Year Plan for Development of Science and Technology.
Planned changes:
Clarify the years on specific signings, the current source is very poor and overgeneralizing.
Expand section to allow for more specific details, such as quantity of students send to China/Russia
Correct the CNNC establishment date, as the CNCC in its modern form was created much more recently, in 1955 it would be the Institute not the company.
Add in more details on the “security purposes” such as the Taiwan Strait, Korean war & Armistice.
Stalin and the Bomb The Soviet Union and Atomic Energy, 1939-1956 by David Holloway
https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/olj/sa/sa_oct00zum01.html#note11
China builds the bomb (Book by John Wilson Lewis)
2013 – Present
| Year | gigawatts |
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| 2014 | |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2024 |
DONE:
Make changes to graph to add 2024
Start drafting 2024/2025 section
PLANS:
Re-write the earlier history section, especially the 1950–1958 section.
Add in more citations throughout,
Update or remove information/projections that are no longer accurate.
The nuclear safety plan of 2013 stated that beyond 2016 only Generation III plants would be started, and until then only a very few Generation II+ plants would be started.
In 2014, China still planned to have 58 GW of capacity by 2020. However, due to reevaluation following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, few plants commenced construction from 2015, and this target was not met.
In 2019, China had a new target of 200 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2035, which is 7.7% out of predicted total electricity generating capacity of 2600 GWe. By the end of December 2020, the total number of nuclear power units in operation on the Chinese mainland reached 49, with a total installed capacity of 51 GWe, ranking third in the world in terms of installed capacity and second in the world in terms of power generation in 2020; with 16 nuclear power units under construction, the number of units under construction and installed capacity have ranked first in the world for many years. By 2035, nuclear power is planned to account for 10% of electricity generation.
As of 2020, China had 41 additional nuclear reactors planned and 168 proposed reactors under consideration. China’s under construction reactors accounted for 27% of worldwide reactors under construction. As of at least 2023, China’s goals for nuclear power expansion are the most ambitious of any country.
In 2024, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation think tank stated that globally China leads or matches in commercial nuclear power technology, and is likely 10 to 15 years ahead in Generation IV reactor technology.
Drafting:
In 2021, the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee announced an action plan which emphasized the deployment and development of next-generation nuclear power technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.[2]
As of 2025, China is the world’s largest investor in nuclear energy, with 29 reactors currently in construction. This represents nearly half of all nuclear reactors being built globally. China is projected to surpass the United States as the world’s leading producer of nuclear energy in the coming years.[3] This expansion is consistent with the country’s stated climate strategy. In terms of total prospective capacity, China is number one with nearly 125 GWe announced and in construction, almost four times second-place Russia.[4]
| Nuclear Power Capacity in China by Status[5] |
 |
| Data as of September 2025 — Gross electrical capacity (GW) |
https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/china-nuclear-power
https://en.ndrc.gov.cn/policies/202110/t20211027_1301020.html
https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-nuclear-power-tracker/summary-tables/
https://en.cnnc.com.cn/2025-06/18/c_1108434.htm
Note: Must decide what to do with the “Future Projects” section, as I feel this should be its own full section, not a sub-section of “Nuclear power plants”
Future projects
PLANS: Update to move beyond sources from just 2020
Following the Fukushima accident and consequent pause in approvals for new plants, the target adopted by the State Council in October 2012 became 60 GWe by 2020, with 30 GWe under construction. In 2015, the target for nuclear capacity on line in 2030 was 150 GWe, providing almost 10% of electricity, and 240 GWe in 2050 providing 15%.
However, from 2016 to 2018, there was a further hiatus in the new build programme, with no new approvals for at least two years, causing the programme to slow sharply. Delays in the Chinese builds of AP1000 and EPR reactors, together with the bankruptcy in the U.S. of Westinghouse, the designer of the AP1000, have created uncertainties about the future direction. Also, some regions of China now have excess generation capacity, and it has become less certain to what extent electricity prices can economically sustain nuclear new build while the Chinese government is gradually liberalising the generation sector.
In 2018, a Nuclear Engineering International journal analysis suggests a below-plan capacity of 90 GWe is plausible for 2030. As of 2025, China had 68 GW of operational nuclear power, with 34 GW under construction, and 147 proposed. (see Table below)
Bloomberg News reported that the 2020 National People’s Congress supported future building of 6 to 8 reactors a year, which Bloomberg considered likely to be dominated by the domestic Hualong One design. In 2019, China had a new target of 200 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2035, which is 7.7% out of predicted total electricity generating capacity of 2600 GWe.
