Canadians sign nuclear MOU

He said nuclear cooperation between China and Canada is wide and deep and the Canadian government has been very encouraging regarding it.

Hunan reactor ready to resume construction

Nuclear power 'to fall short of demand'

"Ontario and Canada are recognized nuclear energy pioneers with more than 70 years of nuclear technology development," said Moridi. "Against the background of increasing air pollution and public health problems, Ontario has been shutting down coal-fired power plants. The province will become totally coal-free by the end of this year."

Moridi said China is facing a similar problem of pollution, which creates better potential for the application of Canadian nuclear technology in the country, thereby saving costs and being more environmentally friendly in the long term.

According to Oberth, Candu Energy is working with the Chinese National Nuclear Corp to develop a new generation reactor that further increases uranium utilization by using thorium - an alternative fuel of which China has considerable reserves - as a fuel resource.

This will be completed by the end of 2014 and then work will start on its detailed design and pre-project operations.

As the Chinese economy continues to grow, its demand for energy to sustain economic and social development has been increasing.

To achieve the carbon reduction target it has set by 2020, China has to increase its emission-free energy generation to 15 percent of total production by then, which will require the country to raise its nuclear generation from the current 2 percent to 5 percent by 2020.

"Based on the huge amount of China's power generation, that increase will bring huge demand for nuclear industries," said Moridi.