China becomes world leader in nuclear energy

China has become the new world leader in nuclear energy, surpassing the US and France, Report informs, citing the China Nuclear Energy Association.

"Currently, 102 nuclear power units with a total installed capacity of 113 million kilowatts are being operated, built or permitted to be built in China. For the first time, China has taken first place in the world in terms of the scale of nuclear energy," the association says.

China has been the leader in the capacity of nuclear units under construction for 18 years. Currently, 28 such power units with a total installed capacity of 33.65 million kilowatts are being built in the country.

At the same time, China strictly controls the process of radioactive waste disposal. For example, the PRC has the world's largest radiation monitoring network to maintain radiation levels around nuclear facilities within safe limits.

Besides, China has achieved another breakthrough in the energy sector: the country's installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power exceeded thermal power for the first time in history, reaching 1.482 billion kW.