According to China News Service, Ren Yuzhi, Spokesperson of the National Energy Administration (NEA) of China and Director-General of the Department of Development and Planning, stated in Beijing on December 5 that China's nuclear power industry is advancing towards the world's advanced ranks of nuclear power at a "higher, faster and stronger" pace. The country will actively, safely and orderly develop nuclear power, vigorously support technological innovation in nuclear power, and steadily increase the proportion of nuclear energy in total energy consumption.
The NEA indicated that China's nuclear power development has always adhered to high safety standards, taking the lead in achieving the comprehensive transformation from Generation II to Generation III nuclear power technologies. Among the 112 nuclear power units that have been approved, are under construction or in operation at present, 67 units adopt Generation III or more advanced technologies, accounting for 60% of the total.
"China's nuclear power industry has achieved iterative optimization of technologies amid development," said Ren Yuzhi. Meanwhile, the world's first land-based commercial modular small reactor, "Linglong One", will be put into operation in 2026. China is the only country in the world that has been continuously constructing nuclear power projects for over 30 years. It has cultivated the world's largest contingent of professional nuclear power technicians and possesses the world's most competitive industrial chain and supply chain system for nuclear power.
As learned from official sources, the construction of "Linglong One" kicked off at Hainan Nuclear Power Plant on July 13, 2021. Upon completion and commissioning, it is expected to generate 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the power demand of 526,000 households in Hainan. It will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 880,000 tons per year, equivalent to planting 7.5 million trees annually.
On October 16, the successful completion of the primary loop cold functional test of "Linglong One" demonstrated China's comprehensive strength in the design of new nuclear energy systems, high-end equipment manufacturing and collaborative management of complex projects. This achievement is of great significance for consolidating China's first-mover advantage in the international competition of small reactors and building an advanced brand of China's modular small reactors, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent hot testing, reactor fuel loading and commercial operation of the project.
(Reprinted from https://news.eccn.com/）