Construction of a 60-billion-yuan nuclear power plant in Jiangxi province is expected to begin soon, a move in line with China's policy to boost the domestic demand.

Located in Pengze in the Jiujiang city, the project is expected to come on stream in 2013, reported local media, citing unnamed sources.

The plant is designed to have a capacity of 8,000 megawatts. Once in operation, it will generate 60 billion kilowatts of electricity annually.

The project is among China's first batch of inland nuclear power projects, with the other two in Hubei and Hunan provinces.

Jiangxi "has planned for 865 large-sale projects in the next year with the total investment of 672.3 billion yuan, including the preparation work for the Pengze project", said the provincial government's website.

Analysts said Pengze is an ideal place for building nuclear power projects. On the shore of the Yangtze River, Pengze has abundant water resources to meet the demand of nuclear projects.

Jiangxi has abundant uranium resources. The proved uranium reserves in the province accounted for one third in China.

Analysts said in order to relieve the power shortage in eastern and central regions, China should not only develop nuclear power projects in the coastal areas, but also in the inland provinces.

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group last year signed an agreement with the Hubei provincial government to plan for a nuclear plant in Dafan.

China National Nuclear Corp has also signed an agreement with the Hunan provincial government to plan for a nuclear project in the Yiyang city on the bank of Taohuajiang River.

"As China has taken measures to boost the domestic demand, China may speed up the construction of nuclear projects in the next few years," said an analyst who declined to be named.

China's top economic planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said in November that construction of a series of large energy projects were due to start this year. These include three nuclear power plants with a total of 10 1,000-MW reactors, respectively located in Fuqing in Fujian, Fangjiashan in Zhejiang and Yangjiang in Guangdong.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2008)