China is likely to launch a nuclear power project with one-million-kilowatt capacity in the eastern province of Zhejiang, an official with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said.

The project is proposed by the CNNC, a state-owned nuclear energy conglomerate, to build a domestically manufactured nuclear plant of such a massive capacity.

Actually it is part of an extension project of the Qinshan nuclear power plant in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Experts have approved a feasibility report and the central government is examining the project proposal, safety analysis of plant location, and evaluation report of the impact on environment.

"It takes us six years and more 200 million yuan (US$25 million) to design the project," said CNNC General Manager Kang Rixin.

China began developing its nuclear power industry in the late 1980s to help ease the energy bottleneck. In March this year, the State Council adopted a strategy to promote nuclear power capacity.

The goal is to make the nation's total installed capacity of nuclear power reach 40 million kilowatts by 2020.

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2006)