Beijing , China ( CNN ) -- Misery hates company . Following the nuclear power plant crisis in Japan , China has ordered safety inspections of its existing nuclear plants and suspension of new plant approvals . The decision was made on March 16 during a meeting of Premier Wen Jiabao with the State Council , China 's cabinet . `` Development of nuclear power must put safety the top priority , '' the government said on its website . Beijing 's top nuclear power regulatory body quickly unveiled a series of guidelines advising nuclear power plants to take disaster stress tests on planned and existing projects . Changhua Wu , the Greater China director of The Climate Group , a non-profit group advocating environmental protection , applauded the decision . `` They are reviewing and reassessing nuclear power plants , '' she says . `` I believe they are going to find a lot of issues there . '' Read whether the fear for nuclear disasters is realistic . China operates 13 nuclear reactors , a small number compared to the 104 in the United States , but China is poised to catch up . It 's building more than two dozen others -- roughly 40 percent of all the reactors under construction worldwide -- and 50 more are being proposed . Read more special coverage on China . Such an aggressive nuclear power program is understandable . In the last two decades , China 's energy needs have grown exponentially due to its rapid economic boom and urbanization . China last year overtook the United States as the world 's largest consumer of energy . It depends on fossil fuel for 91 % of its needs . China has turned to alternative sources of energy -- wind , solar and nuclear power -- to improve air quality and curb global warming . `` Nuclear power is seen as cost-effective , low carbon , and more reliable than renewable energy such as solar and wind power , which can only provide power some of the time , '' noted Century Weekly , a Chinese-language magazine popular among intellectuals . In light of the human and environmental disaster looming in Japan , however , many Chinese are asking : How safe are China 's nuclear plants ? Japan 's nuclear crisis has served as a wake-up call , said Wu . `` As in Europe and other countries , people here are saying , 'Wait a second , let 's really think about it , ' '' she said . Experts say China is now reviewing the risks associated with earthquakes and tsunamis . It has had its share of major earthquakes , like the 7.9-magnitude quake in 2008 , which killed over 80,000 in Wenzhou , Sichuan province . Its existing and planned nuclear plants are all located along its eastern and southern coastlines -- prompting questions of whether they are vulnerable to a tsunami . Another concern is lack of transparency . Although China has signed and ratified the International Atomic Energy Agency 's Convention on Nuclear Safety , critics say China is slow in providing public information on safety and waste-management . Corruption is another worry . Kang Rixin , a senior Communist Party member and head of China 's nuclear power program , was convicted last November in a $ 260 million corruption case in which he was accused of rigging bids connected to nuclear power plant construction . He was sentenced to life imprisonment , but his case raised concerns about lack of supervision . `` Do we have enough manpower to manage and monitor so many nuclear plants ? '' Wu of The Climate Group asked . `` If accidents happen , do we have emergency response in place ? Are we ready ? I am not so sure . '' These questions are causing public concerns , Wu said . `` Already we have started to see the 'not in my backyard ' mentality , '' she noted . `` Before the Japan disaster , most people do not necessarily understand the risks they are facing , but now people are actually more alert . '' There is little public debate , except in cyberspace , where some netizens anonymously resort to sarcasm . Some expressed surprise to find themselves living in close proximity to nuclear plants . Other blogs listed locations of plants , with maps attached as well . One posting suggested that `` China should put all government officials ' homes next to the plants . '' Experts say there are robust debates among Chinese policy-makers , too . `` Some are quite convinced that the third generation technology in China 's nuclear plants currently under construction is superior than Japan 's , '' said Wenran Jiang , a political science professor at the University of Alberta . `` Others are more cautious , calling for more reviews and more safety measures . '' Still , China is not about to abandon its nuclear power ambitions . `` The construction of nuclear plants will continue , but it will be a more cautious process , '' he said . `` Call it lessons learned from Japan . '' Advocates of clean energy hope those lessons will inspire China to switch to renewable energy sources . `` Hopefully we need not panic and kill nuclear energy altogether , '' said Wu of The Climate Group . `` In the long run , we hope wind , solar and other safer renewable sources of energy will grow really fast to replace high-risk energy sources like nuclear and large-sized hydropower projects . ''
Top nuclear power regulatory body unveils guidelines on nuclear power plant stress tests . Japan operates more than two dozen nuclear reactors and is building 13 others . China March 16 overtook the United States as world 's largest consumer of energy . Many Chinese are asking how safe are nation 's nuclear plants in light of Japan disaster .