HANGZHOU, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's first self-designed and self-made nuclear power station began another round of expansion on Friday.

    A ceremony was held Friday in Haiyan County of east China's Zhejiang Province to mark Qinshan Nuclear Power Station second phase's passing of state technical assessment and the commencement of the expansion project.

    Top Chinese leaders, including Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-President Zeng Qinghong, sent respective letters of congratulation on the occasion.

    The key to China's nuclear power development lies in raising its innovation capabilities and the training of high-tech management personnel, Wu said in a letter of congratulation.

    Wen Jiabao called on the station staffs to sum up experience and redouble their efforts to make new contribution to China's nuclear power development.

    Zeng Qinghong congratulated the staffs on sticking to innovation in construction.

    Addressing Friday's ceremony, Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said China will continue to develop its second-generation of nuclear power stations and promote construction of new-generation ones. The country will gradually increase the proportion of nuclear power in its electricity supply.

    China plans to increase its nuclear power generating capacity to 40 million kw by 2020, aiming to account for 4 percent of the country's total installed capacity at that time. Currently less than 2 percent of its electric power come from nuclear generation.

    "Safety and quality should be placed above all in nuclear power station construction and operation," Zeng said, urging on the sector to build the most strict nuclear power safety system in the world. Enditem