Study on China’s Nuclear Power Development and Nuclear Safety Regulation Under the Background of Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

Abstract

In September 2020, China announced to the world at the United Nations General Assembly: “China will increase its national independent contribution, adopt more effective policies and measures, and strive to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.” Achieving the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is an extensive and profound reform of the economic and social system, which will promote the transformation and upgrading of China’s energy industry and economic structure. In this context, China’s energy system is bound to accelerate the clean and low-carbon transformation. On the one hand, thermal power, especially coal power, will continue to promote clean and low-carbon transformation. On the other hand, clean energy, especially renewable energy, will develop rapidly and release great development potential. As a clean and efficient energy source, nuclear power will become an important option in the context of the dual carbon goal, ushering in a good window period for high-quality development. At the same time, the development of nuclear power is also restricted by many factors, such as public acceptance, economic cost and so on. The paper summarizes and compares the long-term development, changing trends and restrictive factors of various power generation methods such as thermal power, hydropower, wind power, solar power, and nuclear power. After that, the paper analyzes and predicts the constraints, development paths and trends of China’s nuclear power in the process of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality; expounds the current weak links of China’s nuclear and radiation safety supervision, and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to strengthen nuclear safety supervision and ensure national nuclear and radiation safety.