Faculty Sponsor
Charles Schaefer
College
Arts and Sciences
Discipline(s)
Chinese and Japanese Studies
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Symposium Date
5-3-2014
Abstract
Over the past ten years, China’s involvement in nuclear power has increased dramatically. The country has seemingly unlimited resources to build nuclear power centers and has no qualms about using these resources. Because of this, China is the world’s fastest growing nuclear-energy competitor, with 20 reactors in operation and 28 currently under construction and they plan to build even more. While some countries are spurning nuclear energy for the currently low-priced natural gas, China is proceeding full force with the building of nuclear power plants, proclaiming that this is the solution to the widespread problem of pollution that exists in most of the country. Truly learning from the West, China has become completely self-sufficient in nuclear reactor design and construction, and is even able to vastly improve upon the current reactor plans. This heavy investment in nuclear power can be used as an example for the rest of the world to step away from dependence on fossil fuels as an energy source. Also, this increased involvement in the safe use of nuclear energy can help remove the bad reputation of this specific energy source.
Recommended Citation
Mattson, Laura, "The Impact of China’s Investment in Nuclear Energy on the Reputation of Nuclear Power and the World’s Energy Supply" (2014). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 301.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/301
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Laura Mattson is a senior majoring in physics and Chinese and Japanese studies with a minor in mathematics. She is also a member of Christ College.