NUCLEAR ENERGY OF CHINA: CURRENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

The relevance of the study is determined by the transformation of global nuclear energy in the mid-2020s, with China becoming its central actor as it has moved from importing technologies to the serial construction and deployment of Generation IV reactors. The aim of this study is to identify the key trends in the development of China’s nuclear industry in 2024–2025, assess the feasibility of achieving the targets of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and analyze China’s strategic transition towards technological leadership. The study draws on data from the World Nuclear Association, reports of the China Nuclear Energy Association, the strategic document Beautiful China 2035, and analytical reviews by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and Global Energy Monitor. Comparative and retrospective analysis, as well as scenario forecasting, were employed. The results show that, despite the record approval of 40+ power units in 2022–2025 and the commissioning of the world’s first commercial Gen IV NPP Shidaowan1 (HTRPM), the planned target of the 14th Five-Year Plan (70 GW by 2025) will not be achieved on time due to the inertia of the construction cycle (actual ~60 GW). China has completed the localization of Hualong One technology and is moving towards the integrated use of nuclear energy, including the production of pink hydrogen using high-temperature reactors and the development of district-heating systems, such as the Nuanhe-1 project. The economic advantage is ensured by lowcost state lending (1.4 %), which reduces the cost of electricity generation to USD 70/MWh, compared with USD 105–160/MWh in Western countries. The main challenges remain insufficient spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capacity, dependence on uranium imports, and the continued moratorium on inland NPP construction. Thus, by 2035, China’s nuclear energy will transform from an electricity source into a universal lowcarbon platform for industry; however, the strategy’s implementation requires accelerated closing of the nuclear fuel cycle.

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