HANGZHOU - Nuclear power has great growth potential in China, as the world's second-largest economy remains hungry for more energy to fuel its economic development.

Nuclear power plants provide 15 percent of the world's electricity, but the proportion stands as low as 1.9 percent in China, Wang Binghua, president of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp, said Thursday at a meeting in the eastern city of Hangzhou.

China has slowed its pace in developing new nuclear plants and conducted safety checks at existing plants following Japan's nuclear crisis in March.

Wang said his company will continue to adopt rigorous safety standards and advanced nuclear technologies to ensure the safety of its reactors.

Wang said the AP1000, developed by US-based Westinghouse Electric Co, is the safest third generation nuclear technology. China has officially adopted the technology as a standard for inland nuclear projects, and has already built four AP1000 nuclear generators.

Chinese designers are also working on an updated version of the AP1000 technology, the CAP1400 system, he added.

Coal is currently the primary energy source for around 80 percent of China's power generation.

China wants at least 15 percent of its energy to come from renewable resources by 2020.