China halts nuclear approvals until early 2012

Beijing may not restart approvals for new nuclear projects until early 2012, following the completion of new safety codes and a new Atomic Energy Law, the Financial Times reported, quoting a senior nuclear industry official. China, which accounts for 40% of new nuclear projects planned globally, halted new approvals for reactors following the crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant last month. “China’s nuclear development will slow down during the next two to three years… but in the medium and long term China’s nuclear strategy cannot be shaken,” said Feng Yi, deputy secretary-general of the China Nuclear Energy Association, which is involved in drafting the new regulations. Feng said a draft of the Atomic Energy Law will be ready by October, while new safety regulations will be finished by the end of the year. The Chinese government has not announced changes to its target of 40GW of nuclear capacity by 2015. However, construction will be delayed for the nine nuclear projects awaiting approval this year, Feng said.