China to invest $78 bn to build 110 nuclear power plants by 2030

[Zanza]

It makes sense for China to invest in nuclear and renewables like wind or solar. The last has actually seen a massive drop in prices once China became involved in the business. It is certainly economical to use solar and wind as part of the energy mix in China, but I can see why they invest into nuclear for their baseload. Everything is better than the coal-powered plants they have now.

[Zanza]

AND heavily subsidised by the tax payer!

I don't know though if the same model as in the UK, where part of the electricity price is going for solar subsidising. So yes, in effect, the poor are paying so the rich can save money.

Yes, it's the same model.

That said, nuclear power wouldn't exist in Germany without gigantic subsidies from the tax payer either. If you would just produce energy without any market regulation, you would have 100% coal power in Germany.

[Josquius]

Hydro is no where near enough.  80% of China's gigantic power output is generated by fossil fuels.  We are talking about a country with 1.3-1.4 billion people, not Denmark with 5 million people.  Hong Kong alone has 7.2 million.  If not fossil fuels, that backup power has to be nuclear. 

I thought someone would bring that up.
Of course Denmark: China is a bad comparison.
But surely Denmark's population is about comparable to a decent sized Chinese city?
And its land area must be about the size of a Chinese province (or hell, in this day and age of stupid definitions a Chinese city perhaps even).

[grumbler]

It makes sense for China to invest in nuclear and renewables like wind or solar. The last has actually seen a massive drop in prices once China became involved in the business. It is certainly economical to use solar and wind as part of the energy mix in China, but I can see why they invest into nuclear for their baseload. Everything is better than the coal-powered plants they have now.

Agree.  China needs energy production now, not in some semi-distant future when energy transmission costs allow for placement of wind and solar generation fields where they wilol yield useful electricity, and then sending that power to where it is needed.  The political corruption gives one pause because of the potential for disaster based on shoddy materials or workmanship from sketchy contractors, but the choice of nuclear power isn't a dumb one.

[grumbler]

Oh, and if the estimate is $78 billion for 110 plants, we know the actual cost will exceed $156 billion.  That's just the way nuclear rolls.

[The Larch]

It makes sense for China to invest in nuclear and renewables like wind or solar. The last has actually seen a massive drop in prices once China became involved in the business. It is certainly economical to use solar and wind as part of the energy mix in China, but I can see why they invest into nuclear for their baseload. Everything is better than the coal-powered plants they have now.

Agree.  China needs energy production now, not in some semi-distant future when energy transmission costs allow for placement of wind and solar generation fields where they wilol yield useful electricity, and then sending that power to where it is needed.  The political corruption gives one pause because of the potential for disaster based on shoddy materials or workmanship from sketchy contractors, but the choice of nuclear power isn't a dumb one.

They are already building wind farms out in the boondoncoks. They are currently building the biggest wind farm complex in the world somewhere in the Gobi desert near the Mongolian border. This being China, even that far away province has something like 20 million people living there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_Wind_Farm

They've also invested heavily in long distance electricity transmision in the last few years.

[The Brain]

FWIW Japan has had a poor safety reputation in the nuclear business for many years. I haven't heard much about China yet.

[Admiral Yi]

They are already building wind farms out in the boondoncoks.

Fun fact: boondocks is a loan word from Tagalog, the major Phillipino language.  It originally meant mountain.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, probably several times.

[Eddie Teach]

Lord have mercy on a boy from down in the boondocks.

[Barrister]

They are already building wind farms out in the boondoncoks.

Fun fact: boondocks is a loan word from Tagalog, the major Phillipino language.  It originally meant mountain.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, probably several times.

Nah - never heard it before.  Interesting.