Principal

Investigators

H. Keith Florig, CMU/EPP, florig@cmu.edu, XUE Lan, School of Public Affairs, Tsinghua University. xuelan@tsinghua.edu.cn

Shi ZG, Zhang ZY, Xue L, Florig K, “Public Acceptance of Nuclear Power,” China Soft Science, August 2000 (in Chinese).

Xue L, Peng ZG, Florig K, “Lessons from the Evolution of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory System,” Tsinghua University Journal - Social Science Edition, in press, (in Chinese).

Zhao S, Florig K, “The Rancorous History of Nuclear Power,” (in Chinese).

Florig K, Zhao S, “Competing Perspectives on Nuclear Power Safety,” submitted to Science and Technology Herald  (in Chinese).

China is embarking on a long-term expansion of its nuclear power base to help supply a burgeoning electricity demand. Although the costs of nuclear power in China are currently high compared to fossil-fuel alternatives, nuclear power proponents argue that China needs nuclear power to provide energy security, reduce air pollution, hedge against possible future carbon taxes, reduce coal-mining fatalities, and alleviate congestion and accidents on coal-laden rail systems.  Unlike past high-profile debates on nuclear power in more industrialized countries, decisions on nuclear power investments in China are being conducted largely without public involvement.  Both academic analyses and media reporting on nuclear power in China is quite positive and includes little or no coverage of the social dimensions of nuclear power development in industrialized countries.  This project begins to address this void by developing a set of Chinese-language overview pieces on nuclear power safety, public acceptance, regulation, and economics.  A supplemental goal is to understand and describe the forces driving nuclear energy policy in China.