China leads world in installed nuclear power capacity

(ECNS) -- China led the word, with 26 nuclear power units under construction and a total installed capacity of 30.3 million kilowatts by the end of 2023, data issued by China Nuclear Energy Association on Monday showed.

According to the blue book, China started building five nuclear power units in 2023 with a total investment of 94.9 billion yuan ($13.1 billion), the highest such figure of the the past five years.

China's commercial nuclear power units continued to operate safely in 2023, reaching a total 55 last year, with a planned installed capacity of 57.03 million kilowatts, and two more units on the way.

The annual average utilization of nuclear power equipment was 7,661 hours, and nuclear power generation 433.4 billion kilowatt hours, ranking second in the world, accounting for 4.86 percent of China's cumulative power generation, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 340 million tons.

In 2023, a total of 33 generating units reached full marks in the World Nuclear Operators Association's composite index, leading the world in the full marks ratio and average composite index.