China brings first nuclear unit at Zhangzhou plant into commercial operation
China recorded a major nuclear achievement right at the beginning of 2025. The first of six units at the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in Fujian province entered commercial operation. The country began construction of the Hualong One unit, with a capacity of more than 1100 MW, in October 2019. China plans to bring another unit at Zhangzhou online this year, followed by two more within roughly five years.
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced that it had brought the first unit at the Zhangzhou plant into commercial operation. The achievement came on the very first day of the year, at 17 minutes past midnight, when the Hualong One unit completed all operational tests, culminating in a 168-hour run at nominal capacity. CNNC now operates a total of 26 nuclear reactors with a capacity of almost 25 GW.
"The start of commercial operation at Zhangzhou 1 marks major progress in the large-scale construction of Hualong One units. We plan to build a total of six Hualong One units at the site. Three more such units are currently under construction there," CNNC said.
China's Hualong One units have a capacity of 1212 MW (gross) and 1126 MW (net), and generate around 10 TWh of electricity annually. The Zhangzhou plant comprises three phases, each consisting of two nuclear units. The second unit in the first phase is also expected to come online this year. CNNC began construction of the second phase last year and plans to bring it online within five years. Once completed, the plant's total installed capacity will exceed 7 GW.
Rapid construction of Hualong One
China completes Hualong One units roughly five to seven years after the official start of construction. China brought its first Hualong One unit online in November 2020 at the Fuqing plant. It now operates five such units domestically, while another two generate electricity at Pakistan's Karachi nuclear power plant. A further 26 reactors of this type are at various stages of construction and planning.
Translation disclaimer
This article is a machine translation of the Czech original and has not yet been fully reviewed. In case of any doubt, please refer to the Czech version.
