An aerial view of the Ningde Nuclear Power Plant in East China's Fujian Province File Photo: VCG

Construction or upgrading began recently on several projects at nuclear plants in China, a significant development in the country's nuclear power and clean energy landscape.

Construction began on Sunday at a new unit of the Ningde Nuclear Power Plant in East China's Fujian Province. The first concrete pour for the nuclear island of Unit 5 took place, marking the official start of major construction and the beginning of the civil engineering phase, according to China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), which is building the plant. This is the fifth of six units planned for the site.

The Ningde Nuclear Power Plant is planned to have six units of 1 million kilowatts each, to be built in two phases.

The second phase, including Units 5 and 6, received national approval on July 31, 2023, and will use China's third-generation nuclear technology.

Each unit is expected to generate nearly 10 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, enough to supply 1 million people.

As of June 30, the four completed units had generated more than 290 billion kWh of electricity, replacing more than 875.8 billion tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.38 billion tons, according to a statement CGN sent to the Global Times on Sunday.

"The progress of the Ningde Nuclear Power Plant's second phase will have a positive impact on China's energy structure and environmental protection agenda. We use China's third-generation nuclear technology, known for its high safety, cost-effectiveness and longevity, which will boost our competitiveness in the international market," a representative of CGN was quoted as saying in the statement.

Construction of the first phase of a pressurized water reactor expansion began on Sunday at the Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Plant in East China's Shandong Province.

Following the launch of the world's first fourth-generation nuclear plant at the Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay site in December 2023, the new advancement underscores China's global leadership in nuclear technology.

"The start of construction at two plants on Sunday signifies a further acceleration in China's nuclear technology and clean-energy development," Liu Yong, secretary general of the Energy Storage Application Branch of the China Industrial Association of Power Sources, told the Global Times on Sunday.

China's development of nuclear energy helps the country achieve its energy transformation and carbon neutrality goals, and it contributes to global climate change efforts and sustainable development, said Liu.

As one of the few countries with a complete and independent nuclear industry infrastructure, China has 55 operational nuclear power units, ranking third in the world, and 26 units under construction, first in the world, according to the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA).

In 2022 and 2023, China approved the construction of 10 nuclear power units each year, and nuclear power construction has entered the high-quality and rapid development track, providing a good opportunity for the standardized development of the nuclear energy industry, said CNEA.

Global Times