By Wu Yong (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-17 07:03

Construction work on Northeast China's first nuclear power plant will start tomorrow in Dalian, Liaoning Province, following a year's preparation.

The plant, located in Wafangdian city, will have six generators, each with a capacity of 1 million kw, Xu Juncai, vice-general manager of the Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Co, said.

The plant is 110 km north of Dalian and 270 km south of the provincial capital Shenyang. Most of China's nuclear plants are in the south or east.

"Four units, to be built in the first phase, will likely go into commercial operation in 2014," Xu said.

Source said the first phase will cost about 50 billion yuan ($6.5 billion). China's nuclear technology, CPR 1000, will be used in the design of the reactors.

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group Holdings and China Power Investment Corporation each hold a 45 percent stake, and the remaining 10 percent by Dalian Municipal Construction Investment Company.

Zhang Guobao, vice-director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) lauded the project at a meeting last month in Dalian.

The plant will play an important role in helping to rejuvenate the old industrial northeast, Zhang said.

Liaoning's power consumption will increase with the launch of the coastal region development strategy last year, Feng Guisheng, a senior researcher from Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said.

"The Hongyanhe plant will help ensure an adequate power supply for a burgeoning economy in the future," he said.

The plant will be constructed and operated according to nuclear security regulations, an official said. He declined to give his name.

"We have informed residents about the plant's safeguards and dealt with their concerns," he said.

But Fan Hui, who lives in neighboring Changxing Island, expressed doubts. The island is 10 km away from Wafangdian city.

"Some people are still a little worried about the plant even though local newspapers have said it would be very safe," Fan said.

China has 11 nuclear reactors in operation with a total generating capacity of 8.7 million kw. This is about 1 percent of the country's total power capacity.

The country plans to build another 25 nuclear power plants and increase capacity to 40 million kw by 2020 - 4 percent of the total power capacity - to meet growing demand and cut emissions, according to the NDRC.