China’s nuclear program chief under investigation

BEIJING: The head of China’s nuclear power program is under investigation for alleged corruption, state media reported Wednesday.

Kang Rixin, general manager of China National Nuclear Corporation, is suspected of involvement in ‘grave violations of discipline,’ according to a statement from the Communist Party’s Central Committee on Wednesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The term is a standard party reference for graft and abuse of power, although the statement gave no further details about the allegations.

Kang, a member of the elite Communist Party’s Central Committee, has been the general manager and party secretary at the state-owned CNNC since 2003.

The powerful corporation is comprised of more than 100 subsidiary companies and institutes, according to Xinhua.

As the main investor and the biggest owner of nuclear power plants across the country, it performs research and development as well as construction in areas such as nuclear electricity production, nuclear fuels and nuclear technology application, according to its Web site.

Government plans announced in recent years call for nuclear plants to supply four per cent of China’s power needs by 2020, up from about two per cent currently.

China plans to build five nuclear power stations this year to reduce the country’s reliance on coal and oil. It currently has six nuclear power plants, all located on the east coast.Beijing is also promoting solar, wind and other renewable energy, but is expected to continue to rely heavily on coal and oil. — AP