China passes plans on nuclear power safety

BEIJING - China has passed several plans on energy sector development and nuclear power safety in the next few years to come, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

The 12th Five-Year Plan on Energy Development (2011-2015) proposes that the country should accelerate the transformation of energy production and utilization patterns, reinforcing its priority to energy conservation, according to the statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council, or China's Cabinet, presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

The country should raise the efficiency of energy exploitation and transformation as well as energy utilization. It should also control the total energy consumption volume and establish a safe, stable, economical and clean modern energy system, the statement said.

The executive meeting also discussed and passed the Nuclear Power Safety Plan (2011-2020) as well as the Mid- and Long-term Development Plan for Nuclear Power (2011-2020), it said.