Additionally, the development of hydropower in itself involves serious environmental consequences. Expansion of nuclear electric power has been embraced by China as one very logical step in meeting its power needs. If the nuclear construction program is successful, then we can expect that by the year 2010 some 4 percent of electric power generating capacity will be nuclear. The U.S. nuclear power industry is based on an infrastructure which enjoys the most operating experience in the world. But safety also depends on standardization.
Standardization enhances safety, a fact that China very clearly understands.
China is expected to select families of standardized reactor designs in the coming years. The availability of U.S. designs to the Chinese nuclear power market carries strong global safety implications for all of us as well as attractive opportunity costs for China itself. As noted, China is embarking on a very ambitious program to expand its nuclear generating capacity. If China is to meet the goal that is has set for itself for the year 2020, it will need to order 2,400 megawatts of nuclear capacity every year between now and 2020. In sum, that means a new plant, with two reactor units, annually.