China is to double its nuclear power capacity by 2020, the general manager of China National Nuclear Corporation said in Rome on Thursday.

Kang Rixin told the World Energy Congress in Rome that at present China's nuclear power capacity accounts for 2 percent of the total installed capacity of the country. By 2020, the percentage will stand at 4 percent.

A bird's eye view of Qinshan nuclear power plant in Haiyan, east China's Zhejiang Province.

China's installed capacity of nuclear power will hit 40 million kilowatts by 2020, he said.

Kang said China has 11 nuclear power generation units in operation, 8 units are under construction and another 8 units are in their preparation stage.

He said China will invest a total of 400 billion yuan in building the 16 nuclear units, and "banks in China are active in pouring the funds and there is no shortage of funds."

The general manager said China has already listed the nuclear power industry as a priority, and the move is to reduce the CO2 emission to tackle climate change.

The five-day World Energy Congress is to end later on Thursday

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2007)