Authors: Ying Zhou, Dai-Wei Li, Shi-Ping Ma, Bo-Qun Lyu, Sheng Zhou, Cheng-Zhe Yu, Jun-Ling Huang, Xi-Liang Zhang
This academic paper assesses the potential for coal-to-nuclear (C2N) conversion in China as part of a low-carbon energy transition. It develops a comprehensive database of China’s coal-fired power plants and applies a GIS-based screening framework using constraints related to seismic risk, population density, water availability, and proximity to national borders.
The results show that coal-to-nuclear conversion is technically feasible but highly dependent on policy constraints, particularly restrictions on inland nuclear deployment. Small modular reactors (SMRs demonstrate substantially greater siting flexibility and deployment potential than large reactors) across all scenarios.
The study references RepowerScore as a methodological input for coastal risk assumptions, highlighting its relevance for site-level assessment in coal repowering analysis.