NANNING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- A research team has been set up to consider the construction of the first nuclear power plant on China's Beibu Gulf coast, in Fangchenggang city.

    Zhu Jun, secretary of the Fangchenggang City Committee of the Communist Party of China, said "There is a growing demand for energy with faster economic growth in this region, so we have decided to speed up nuclear power development during the 11th five-year-plan period (2006-2010)."

    The proposed plant will be located at Bailongwei on the Jiangshan Peninsula, Fangcheng District of Fangchengang. Altogether six generating units, each with a capacity of one million kw, will be installed.

    China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co. Ltd. and China Power Investment Corporation will each fund 40 percent of the investment, and Guangxi Investment Group Co. Ltd. will pay 20 percent.

    Zhu said the schedule for construction would be available once the State Development and Reform Commission had approved the project.