How Innovative Is China in Nuclear Power?

This does not necessarily mean that China's largest nuclear power companies-notably the state-owned enterprises China General Nuclear Power Corporation and the China National Nuclear Power-are exceptionally innovative technologically. First, we conducted in-depth case study evaluations of two Chinese nuclear power companies selected from nuclear power companies listed on the "2023 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard." Second, ITIF conducted interviews and held a focus group roundtable with global experts on the Chinese nuclear power industry. From these austere beginnings, China and its nuclear power enterprises have rapidly developed their capabilities, to the point where MIT's Buongiorno observed that, "China is the de facto world leader in nuclear technology at the moment."38 That sentiment is echoed by David Fishman, a Shanghai-based senior manager at the energy consulting firm Lantau Group, who has contended that, "China is arguably peerless in actually building and commercializing next generation nuclear power technology."39 Francois Morin, China director of the World Nuclear Association, concurs, observing that China's new reactors put it "Ahead of other countries in terms of nuclear technology research and development."40. This section provides case study analyses of several Chinese nuclear power companies; as there are a very small number of leading nuclear power entities in China, these two were intentionally selected from Chinese nuclear power companies included on the "2023 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard" report. CGN Power CGN Power is an SOE that represents one of the two main participants in China's nuclear power industry, operating 27 nuclear power units and constructing 7 more as of mid-2023, accounting for about 54 percent of the total nuclear power installed capacity in China. The company was initially founded as Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company in Guangzhou in 1985, and it achieved a significant milestone with the successful operation of the Daya Bay nuclear power station in 1994, marking the start of large-scale commercial nuclear power stations in China. 122 Further, in August 2019, the United States placed China General Nuclear Power Group and three of its subsidiaries on its Entity List because they had "Engaged in or enabled efforts to acquire advanced U.S. nuclear technology and material for diversion to military uses in China."123 And in August 2023, the Biden administration further tightened controls on the export of materials and components for nuclear power plants to China.