» Asia goes for nuclear energy despite Fukushima disaster

2013/10/19

Safety concerns in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan have done little to stop Asia’s ambitious plans for expanding nuclear energy.

Led by China and India, Asia will continue to drive growth in the global nuclear industry over the next two decades, according to experts attending the World Energy Congress (WEC) in Daegu, South Korea.

“There will be an increase of nuclear power globally, but Asia will be at the center of that, especially China, India and South Korea,” Yukiya Amano, head of the IAEA said on the sidelines of the triennial gathering that ended last Thursday.
Amano noted that around 70 new nuclear power reactors are being built at the moment — 50 of them in Asia — in addition to the more than 430 already in operation worldwide.

At the annual gathering of the IAEA’s 159 member states in Vienna last month, China made it clear that the ongoing crisis in Fukushima would not derail its own expansion policy.China has 17 nuclear reactors in operation, another 30 under construction and plans to build an additional 59.

Asia’s third-largest economy, India, which is still plagued by energy shortfalls, also has ambitious plans for its nuclear sector.With 20 reactors already in operation, seven under construction and another 18 on the drawing board, India hopes to generate 63,000 megawatts from nuclear power by 2030 — part of a planned near 15-fold rise from current levels.
<Media Report>
Asia drives global nuclear growth despite debate raised by Fukushima (Japan Times)

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