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China has initiated major nuclear projects, including the construction of Ningde units 5 and 6, Shidaowan units 1 and 2, and Xudabao units 1 and 2, with the first concrete for these projects poured in July.
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The Ningde plant, Fujian Province’s first nuclear power facility, is expanding with two new Hualong One reactors to enhance the region’s clean energy capacity.
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The Shidaowan and Xudabao projects incorporate advanced nuclear technologies, with Shidaowan featuring both third and fourth-generation reactors, and Xudabao using CAP1000 reactors, contributing significantly to China’s clean energy goals and emissions reductions.
On July 31 of last year, China’s State Council approved the construction of several significant nuclear projects: Ningde units 5 and 6, Shidaowan units 1 and 2, and Xudabao units 1 and 2. Since then, substantial progress has been made.
China General Nuclear (CGN) announced that at 10:58 am on July 28, the first concrete for the nuclear island of Ningde 5 was poured, marking the official start of the main construction of the Hualong One unit. This milestone also signifies the full commencement of the second phase of the Ningde nuclear power project. Notably, Ningde was the first nuclear power plant to be constructed and put into operation in Fujian Province. It currently comprises four 1018 MWe CPR-1000 reactors, which began commercial operations between April 2013 and July 2016. The addition of units 5 and 6 will further enhance the proportion of clean energy in Fujian Province, providing robust support for the region’s high-quality economic and social development, according to Tian Huiyu, general manager of Fujian Ningde Nuclear Power Company Limited.
Meanwhile, China Huaneng reported that the first concrete had been poured for the nuclear island of unit 1 at the Shidaowan plant on July 28. This unit represents Huaneng’s first fully independently built large-scale pressurized water reactor nuclear power project. The Shidaowan site is already home to the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM), which entered commercial operation in early December last year. This HTR-PM features two small reactors that drive a single 210 MWe turbine and is owned by a consortium led by China Huaneng, with stakes held by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) subsidiary China Nuclear Engineering Corporation and Tsinghua University’s Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology.
The construction of the Shidaowan unit 1 Hualong One marks a significant step forward, integrating both the latest independent third-generation nuclear power technology and fourth-generation advanced nuclear power technology at Huaneng Shidaowan. The company plans to construct four Hualong One reactors at Shidaowan in two phases, aiming for a total installed capacity of 4.8 GWe. The first phase’s two units are scheduled to be completed and operational by 2029. Upon completion, the project is expected to provide Shandong Province with approximately 20 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity each year, reducing the consumption of 5.78 million tonnes of standard coal and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tonnes, along with substantial reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions.
Construction at the Xudabao plant has also advanced, with the nuclear island for unit 1 beginning in November 2023 and the first concrete for unit 2 poured earlier this month. These units will feature CAP1000 reactors, the Chinese adaptation of the Westinghouse AP1000 design.
These developments are pivotal in China’s strategy to expand its clean energy capacity and reduce carbon emissions, underscoring the nation’s commitment to sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.
