The heating project of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province Photo: VCG

A growing list of Chinese cities are utilizing nuclear energy as a source of winter heating, with 9.24 million square meters covered so far.

In Haiyang, East China's Shandong Province, the nuclear power plant has entered test operation to provide heating services to 200,000 residents living in a city area of 5 million square meters, domestic news portal China Media Group (CMG) reported on Monday. 

The report said nuclear energy as a source of heating causes less pollution and conserves energy as the practice uses heat that was originally discharged into the sea. 

Other Chinese cities that have a nuclear power plant nearby are conducting similar pilot programs. 

In Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant is set to provide heating to 20,000 local residents.

South of the Yangtze River, the Qinshan nuclear power plant in East China's Zhejiang Province is under construction. By 2025, the plant will provide heating to an area of 4 million square meters, saving energy equivalent to 24,600 tons of standard coal.

CMG reported that nuclear heating has entered a window period of fast development in China, citing a senior industry expert. 

China is one of the leading countries in tapping nuclear energy. The country has 54 nuclear reactors under operation and another 23 under construction as of June 2022, ranking second in the world, according to a Xinhua report in August.