China will complete the construction of prototype fast reactor (PFR) nuclear stations by about 2020, the director with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced Sunday.

The reactor can lift the utility rate of natural uranium from one percent to 60 to 70 percent with a pressurized water reactor (PWR), said Kang Rixin.

Currently, most of China's nuclear stations, both in operation or under construction, use a PWR and heavy water reactor (HWR), sources with CNNC said.

The development of the new kind of reactor is expected to be finished and put into operation at the beginning of the next "five-year plan" period (2006-2010), CNNC sources said.

China is now speeding up the PFR experiment, which is supported by the 863 Plan, the nation's hi-tech research and development program, sources said. The development research, with a total investment of 1.38 billion yuan (US$167 million), is the largest project in the 863 Plan.

Nuclear power should make up four percent of the nation's total generating capacity by 2020, according to plans made by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

"This requires CNNC, in collaboration with other corporations, to make pragmatic plans and schedules to address bottle-neck problems the nuclear industry facing, such as self-researching capability and resources provision," CNNC sources said.

The CNNC sources said working on and implementing these reactors will still be, for a long time, the major product for China's nuclear industry.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2005)