China reaches important milestones in construction of new nuclear power plants

China’s construction of new nuclear units reached two major milestones in the second half of February. The first was the start of preparatory construction work for the new Jinqimen power plant, which will have a total of six Hualong One units. The second was the official start of construction of the second phase of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant, marked by the first concrete pour for Unit 3. The country currently has more than 30 GW of nuclear capacity under construction and a further 170 GW-plus in planned projects.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced that it had started work on the construction of the first phase of the new Jinqimen nuclear power plant. Across three phases, it is set to comprise a total of six domestically developed Hualong One nuclear reactors, with combined installed capacity of 6540 MW (net).

"The nuclear power plant will meet the highest international safety standards and create a new paradigm for the development of nuclear energy in Zhejiang Province. The launch of this project injects new momentum into the optimisation and transformation of the energy mix," CNNC said in a press release.

CNNC expects the completed Jinqimen plant to generate more than 55 TWh of electricity a year, helping to save around 50 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The first unit, whose construction was approved by China’s State Council at the end of last year, is scheduled to start operating in 2028.

"One Hualong One unit can meet the electricity demand of one million people in a moderately developed country. It will reduce coal consumption by 3.12 million tonnes a year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tonnes, equivalent to planting more than 70 million trees," CNNC added.

Construction begins on the second phase of Zhangzhou

Another Chinese nuclear milestone last week was the first concrete pour for the nuclear island of Unit 3 at the Zhangzhou plant. This is commonly considered the official start of construction of a nuclear unit.

CNNC began construction of the first two Hualong One units at Zhangzhou in 2019 and 2020, and the first is scheduled to start operating later this year. Three phases, each comprising two units, are planned in total, as at Jinqimen.

Over the past two years, China has approved the construction of 20 nuclear units to help it meet its climate targets. The goal presented by CGN in 2021 is to have 200 GW of nuclear capacity in operation or under construction by 2035. The country now has nuclear power plants with a capacity of 55 GW and is building more than 30 GW of additional capacity.