OREANDA-NEWS. July 25, 2011. China connected an experimental nuclear reactor that produces less radioactive waste than current designs to the electricity grid , as the nation seeks safer atomic power after Japan's Fukushima accident.

The 65-megawatt fast-neutron reactor near Beijing connected to the grid at 40 percent capacity, Xu Mi, chief engineer at the China Experiment Fast Reactor program, said by telephone. The program is run by the China Institute of Atomic Energy.

"The next step for us is to increase the generating capacity of the reactor to 100 percent while connected to grid," Xu said. "After that, we can use the technology to build our own commercial fast reactors."

China's government continues to promote the development of nuclear power even after it stopped approving new plants, pending safety reviews following the Fukushima incident, according to directives issued by the National Development and Reform Commission on April 26.

 The experimental fast reactor achieved criticality, or started controlled and sustainable generation, one year ago. The technology reduces radioactive waste compared with existing operational designs by using most of the fuel during the nuclear reaction.

Fourth Generation

China plans to start construction of a 1-gigawatt fast reactor at Sanming city in 2018, Xu said. The facility will use the country's so-called fourth generation nuclear technology, he said.

China National Nuclear Corp. the nation's biggest operator of atomic plants, plans to start building two 800-megawatt fourth-generation reactors using Russian designs around 2013 or 2014, Xu said today. The reactors will also be at Sanming.

China started its first commercial nuclear plant in 1994 and currently has the highest number of atomic facilities under construction, according to data from the World Nuclear Association.

Japan's 40-year-old Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11, causing radiation leaks in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.