SHANGHAI, China, Oct 16, 2007 -- UPI

A senior International Atomic Energy Agency official predicted that nuclear power growth in China and India will outpace the rest of the world.

Speaking in Shanghai, IAEA Deputy Director General Yuri Sokolov said China has developed quite fast in the nuclear power industry in the past two decades, China Daily reported.

"In China, in India, you have very definite plans for increasing the nuclear capacity six to 10 times for 20 years, this is really fast growth," he said. "The growth of the world is not so fast."

The official said he remained positive about nuclear power's future, noting 30 countries use it and up to 40 more countries have expressed willingness to explore nuclear power.

The IAEA was having a symposium on nuclear power plant management in China's largest city.

The China Daily report said China planned to raise its nuclear power capacity from about 9,000 megawatts this year to 40,000 MW by 2020. In India, the target is to boost the installed nuclear power capacity to 20,000 MW by 2020, the report said.

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