Clean energy projects to aid poverty relief
China General Nuclear Power Corp will invest 1.63 billion yuan ($240 million) to develop clean energy projects in 12 impoverished areas across the country to promote poverty alleviation.
The nuclear power operator signed an agreement on July 13 with a poverty relieffocused investment fund, funded by State-owned enterprises. According to the agreement, CGN’s investment and an additional 700 million yuan from the fund will be used to set up a joint venture to operate the projects.
The partners will build 17 wind power and solar power projects in 12 national-level impoverished prefectures across eight provinces, with a total investment of more than 9.89 billion yuan. The installed gross capacity of the projects is estimated at 1,608.3 megawatts.
The projects are expected to provide more than 3,000 jobs for locals and generate 30 million yuan in revenue during the construction period. Over 200 jobs will be created for the impoverished population after the construction projects are completed.
In terms of environmental benefits, 1.07 million metric tons of coal are expected to be saved and carbon dioxide emissions are projected to fall by 1.76 million tons each year thanks to the projects.
Shi Bing, deputy general manager of CGN, said: “Cooperation with the investment fund on poverty alleviation will create synergies, as both sides can give play to their comparative advantages. The company has strengths in technology and markets, while the fund provides capital,” he said.
Construction of clean energy projects will not only create more job opportunities for local people, but also help improve road and network infrastructure there, he said.
According to CGN, a total of 270 kilometers of road will be built or renovated and 190
Cooperation with the investment fund on poverty alleviation will create synergies, as both sides can give play to their comparative advantages.”
Shi Bing,
kilometers of transmission line will be installed.
More than 7 million yuan will be donated to the local areas annually to help those unable to work, which is expected to benefit 11,885 people, Shi said.
The move is the latest effort by CGN to contribute to the country’s poverty alleviation campaign, which President Xi Jinping launched in 2015, vowing to end extreme poverty by 2020.
The company said it had poured over 180 million yuan into poverty reduction programs as of the end of 2017. More than 130 villages across the country have benefited from such programs, with poverty relief-related projects topping 240.
Hong Tianyun, deputy chief of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said the government attaches high importance to poverty alleviation and has been giving full support to promote the cause.
China has made great progress in poverty alleviation over the past five years. The population living in poverty has decreased by more than 68 million. Poverty incidence — the proportion of the overall population living below the poverty line — has dropped from 10.2 percent to 3.1 percent.