KEY POINTS:
GUANGZHOU - "Develop nuclear power to benefit mankind," reads the sign at the Daya Bay power plant in China's Guangdong province.
The sign is serious and so is plant spokesman Wang Chengfu when he says nuclear power is an essential means by which China can cut down the amount of greenhouse gas emissions belching from its hundreds of coal-fired power plants every year.
In three years, China is projected to overtake the US as the world's biggest polluter, and as its economy continues to grow at a staggering rate so does its demand for power.
Chinese authorities say there are several initiatives to reduce pollution and protect the environment. They include national vehicle emission standards, boosting public transport and water conservation and waterway purification programmes.
Mr Wang says nuclear power also has a contribution to make.
At present, 70 per cent of China's power is generated from coal. Just 1.12 per cent is nuclear.
To create 1000MW of electricity - about the same as Huntly power station - it takes three million tonnes of coal, compared with just 25 tonnes of nuclear fuel.
The coal creates 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide as well as nitrogen and sulphur dioxide - pollutants that contribute to acid rain, compared with a relatively tiny amount of nuclear waste.
China has just six nuclear plants, but the plan is to increase that to about 20 by 2020 - collectively generating about 40,000MW. Even then, that will only be about 3-4 per cent of the country's generation capacity.
To critics of the dangers of nuclear plants and waste, Mr Wang says the safety record of the Chinese nuclear industry is excellent - there has never been an uncontrolled release of radioactive material - and its environmental record is good.
Byproduct gases and liquids are released after they lose radioactivity, while solid waste, which remains radioactive for much longer, is held for several years then removed.
The location of the site is a state secret, but Mr Wang says it is "far, far away from any people".
- NZPA
