China s Nuclear Energy Program: Status and Future IAEE Conference Christhian Rengifo Senior Consultant, International Nuclear Policy September 2017
Presentation Outline 1. Introduction to UxC 2. UxC s global nuclear power forecasts 3. China s electricity situation 4. China s nuclear energy program 5. China s electricity overcapacity 6. Analysis 7. Conclusions 2
1. UxC The Ux Consulting Company Provides nuclear consulting and market information services to suppliers, utilities, investors, and government agencies internationally Founded in March 1994 15 professionals in company, plus consultant base Offices/Staff Located in: Atlanta, Boston, Austin. Three major lines of business Nuclear market consulting (fuel cycle & reactors) Publishing industry market reports Nuclear fuel price indicators and data services 3
2. UxC Global Nuclear Power Forecasts GWe 575 UxC 550 525 500 475 450 425 400 Base Case: 2020: 390 GWe 2030: 444 GWe 375 350 325 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 Q3 Base Q3 High Q3 Low Source: UxC Nuclear Power Outlook, Q3 2017 4
2. UxC Base Case Regional Forecast # Reactor Units Nuclear Generating Capacity (MWe) 500 450,000 450 400 350 425,000 300 250 400,000 200 150 100 375,000 50 0 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 North America Western Europe Eastern Europe Asia & Oceania Africa & Middle East South America Total MWe 350,000 UxC Source: UxC Nuclear Power Outlook, Q3 2017 5
3. Electricity Situation in China (2016) Capacity: 1,645 GWe Generation: 5,989 TWh Coal Hydropower Wind Gas Solar Nuclear Others Coal Hydropower Wind Gas Nuclear Others 4% 5% 2% 3% 4% 4% 3% 4% 9% 20% 57% 20% 65% Source: China Electricity Council 6
3. China Electricity Supply & Demand Teraw att-hours (TWh) 6,200 UxC 6,000 Total Electricity Production Total Electricity Demand 5,800 5,600 5,400 5,200 5,000 4,800 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: China Electricity Council 7
3. 13 th Five Year Plan (2016-2020) for Power Development China's Power Development Targets under the 13 th FYP 2015 2020 Average Annual Increase Total Generation Capacity (GWe) 1,530 2,000 5.5% Total Electricity Demand (TWh) 5,690 6,800-7,200 3.6-4.8% Generation Capacity by Fuel (GWe) Conventional hydro power 297 340 2.8% Pumped-storage hydro 23 40 11.7% Nuclear power 27 58 16.5% Wind power 131 210 9.9% Solar power 42 110 21.2% Coal 900 < 1,100 4.1% Gas 66 110 10.8% Source: 13 th FYP for Power Development 8
4. China s Nuclear Power Plants Loca3on of China s nuclear reactors (as of August 2017) Liaoning Shandong Jiangsu Guangxi Zhejiang Fujian Hainan Guangdong In Opera)on (36) Under Construc)on (20) 9
4. Nuclear Energy in China: Current Status & Outlook As of August 2017 status: 36 reactors in commercial operation (32 GWe) 20 under construction (21 GWe) 2020 UxC Forecast (Base case): 49 units / 46 GWe 2030 UxC Forecast (Base case): 99 units / 103 GWe 3 Licensed Nuclear Power Utilities: China National Nuclear Power publicly traded company (subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation or CNNC State-owned company) China General Nuclear publicly traded company (subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Group or CGN State-owned company) State Power Investment Corporation or SPIC (State-owned company) merged company between China Power Investment Corp. (CPIC) and State Nuclear Power Technology Corp. (SNPTC) 10
4. Reactor Designs: Operation & Construction* Canadian Design: 2 x CANDU Russian Design: 2 x VVERs and *2 VVERs French Design: 2 x M310 and *2 x EPRs U.S. Design: *4 x AP1000 Chinese Design: various CNPs, CPRs, and *4xHPR-1000 In the future, HPR-1000 and CAP designs (based on the AP1000 design) are expected to be the basis for the nuclear fleet. Focus will be on domestic designs and not on additional imports. 11
5. Overcapacity?: Average Full Load Hours (FLH) of Power Plants FLH 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 UxC 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Total Average Hydro Thermal Nuclear Wind Source: China Electricity Council Indicator 1: Demand has been met by operating thermal and hydro plant sources at low FLH for a long time. 12
5. Overcapacity?: Average FLH in Provinces with Nuclear Reactors (2016) FLH 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Liaoning (Hydro) Liaoning (Fossil) Liaoning (Nuclear) Liaoning (Wind) Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Source: China Energy Portal Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Guangdong Guangdong Guandong Guangdong Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Hainan Hainan Hainan Hainan Indicator 2: In provinces where nuclear reactors are located thermal and hydro power plans have low FLH. CGN Power reported in 2016 that it was operating at lower FLH when compared to 2015. 13
5. Overcapacity?: Reactor Construction and Operation Starts Units 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 UxC Operation Starts Construction Starts Fukushima Indicator 3: CGN Power reported in 2016, it had to delay the start of operation of one reactor due to market conditions. As of August 2017: Only 1 reactor has started operation this year. No reactors have started construction. 14
5. Nuclear Plant Capacity Factors Capacity Factor 92% UxC Units 30 90% 88% 86% 84% 82% 80% 25 20 15 10 5 78% 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0 Number of Operating Reactors Average Capacity Factor Indicator 4: Capacity factors have gone down in the 2013-2015 period. In 2016, CGN reported that due to low demand, some units operated that year temporarily at reduced load or were offline. 15
6. Analysis: Nuclear Energy Forecasts for China GWe 140 UxC 120 100 80 60 Base Case: 2020: 46 GWe 2030: 103 GWe 40 20 0 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 High Base Low Source: UxC Nuclear Power Outlook, Q3 2017 16
6. Factors Influencing China Forecasts Changes in energy supply in view of lower economic development Some nuclear operators are publicly traded companies: Are additional nuclear reactors a good investment in an oversupplied market? China is reforming its electricity market to address several related issues: Electricity overcapacity Grid connections Bringing the electricity system closer to market forces (e.g. electricity prices and power market trading) Changes in FiT (FiT are also available for other sources) Wait for 14 th FYP: Which sites? Which reactor designs? When? 17
6. China 13 th Five Year Plan (2016-2020) for Nuclear Energy By 2020, there should be 58 GWe in operation and 30 GWe under construction. Completion of AP1000 projects (Sanmen and Haiyang) Construction of HPR-1000 demonstration projects Start construction of CAP1400 demonstration project Start construction of a number of new reactors in coastal areas. No plans for inland reactors. 18
7. Conclusions China will not meet its 2020 nuclear power targets The Fukushima accident clearly slowed the development of nuclear energy in China (e.g. new safety reviews) There is electricity overcapacity and this will also slow down the construction of nuclear reactors Lower economic development: less energy demand Based on the 13 th FYP, China is planning to add more electricity capacity in the next years: Does more capacity in an already oversupplied market make sense (in the short term)? In the long term: Phasing out coal. One way to use China s large nuclear supply chain: Build reactors abroad (e.g. HPR-1000 design) One Belt One Road push for reactor exports 19
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