The Internal Strategy of the PRC for the Development of Nuclear Energy under the 14th Five-Year Plan

This article analyzes the internal strategy of the People's Republic of China for the development of nuclear energy under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). The study focuses on two key pillars of China's strategic approach: the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, and the construction of reactors alongside the development of new nuclear technologies. Based on a qualitative analysis of the Blue Books on Nuclear Energy (中国核能发展报告) from 2018 to 2024, the paper identifies the consistent steps China is taking to build a sustainable and independent nuclear energy sector. In the field of waste management, it examines the expansion of storage infrastructure, on-site waste processing, modular and mobile technologies, as well as the development of deep geological disposal and vitrification methods. In the area of nuclear reactor construction and nuclear technology innovation, the study highlights China's transition from reliance on imported designs to localized production of nuclear equipment and advanced reactors. It explores both the widely used second- and third-generation PWRs and the development of high-temperature gas-cooled, small modular, and fast reactors. China's nuclear strategy combines technological innovation with institutional support, aiming to address nuclear waste, ensure energy security, and strengthen the country's global standing in the nuclear energy sector.

China, 14 Five-Year Plan, nuclear energy, nuclear reactors, nuclear waste management, new nuclear technologies