FUZHOU, Jan. 11 -- Ningde nuclear plant, the first nuclear power station in east China's Fujian Province, started building its third generator Friday.

With an investment of 50 billion yuan (6.8 billion U.S. dollars), the Ningde plant would be equipped with four one-million-kw generators in first phase construction. Its first generator would be installed in 2012, said Li Yinong, general manager of Ningde Nuclear Power Company Ltd.

When the first phase project is completed, the station could generate up to 30 billion kwh of power every year to ease the power shortage in Fujian. It would also help reduce coal consumption by 12 million tonnes, thus cutting greenhouse gas emission by 27 million tonnes, he said.

China will have an installed nuclear power capacity of 40 million kw by 2020, accounting for 4 percent of the country's total power generation.