What to do after the coal power plant is retired? Former chairman of State Power Investment Corporation, Wang Binghua: It is feasible to convert to a nuclear energy project.

Against the background of global energy transition and the decline of coal power, repurposing retired coal-fired power plant sites for nuclear energy projects is becoming a new focus of attention in the domestic energy sector. "Some research institutions have conducted forward-looking studies in this direction." On April 17, Wang Binghua, a special invited consultant of the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association and former Chairman of the State Power Investment Corporation, stated at the 2026 Spring Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development Forum. Wang Binghua said that studies have shown that repurposing retired coal-fired power plant sites for nuclear energy projects is an important path to address the industrial succession and revitalization of old industrial assets after the retirement of coal-fired power plants, especially small modular reactors have higher feasibility in this scenario.