NINGBO, Aug 11 – China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) began pouring concrete for the nuclear island of Unit 1 at the Jinqimen nuclear power plant on Sunday, marking the full-scale launch of unit construction at CNNC’s third nuclear power base in East China’s Zhejiang Province.
The unit will use Hualong One, a domestically developed third-generation reactor, as part of a six-reactor project designed to boost clean energy output and cut carbon emissions in the region, the Global Times learned from CNNC on Sunday.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the vision that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” The full-scale launch of unit construction is a concrete step by CNNC toward implementing China’s dual carbon goal and developing new quality productive forces, as well as a practical move to set a new benchmark for high-quality, high-standard nuclear power projects in the new era.
Hualong One is CNNC’s independently developed third-generation nuclear power brand with fully independent intellectual property rights, built on more than 40 years of nuclear power research, design, manufacturing, construction, and operation experience.
CNNC describes it as a “national brand” showcasing China’s nuclear energy technology solutions to the world.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the start of construction on the world’s first Hualong One reactor. Over the past decade, the technology has seen steady, large-scale deployment, continuously proving the advancement and reliability of the “China solution.”
The Jinqimen nuclear power plant located in Xiangshan County, Ningbo, East China’s Zhejiang Province. Photo: courtesy of China National Nuclear Corporation
Located in Xiangshan County, Ningbo, Zhejiang, Jinqimen nuclear power project plans to build six one-million-kilowatt-class pressurized water reactor units. Units 1 and 2 were approved at the State Council executive meeting on December 29, 2023, and will adopt the Hualong One model with fully independent intellectual property rights. Each unit will have a rated capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts and a designed operational life of 60 years, CNNC said.
Upon completion, the plant will have an installed capacity of about 7.2 million kilowatts and is expected to generate 55 billion kilowatt-hours annually – equivalent to half of Ningbo’s total electricity consumption in 2024 – while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 45 million tonnes, equivalent to planting forests over an area 65 times the size of Ningbo’s Dongqian Lake scenic area, according to CNNC.
The Jinqimen project leverages CNNC’s strengths in experience integration, holistic coordination, and management innovation. It features a “technologically advanced, economically efficient, digital, and clean” new-generation Hualong One. Using lean, digital engineering construction empowered by artificial intelligence and digital twin technology, the project is injecting strong momentum into the innovative development of the nuclear energy industry.
Since its inception, the Jinqimen nuclear power project has embraced an integrated development philosophy: building an undersea tunnel to fulfill the “century-long dream” of local residents; using common prosperity support funds to improve local livelihoods; developing a skilled industrial workforce to boost local employment; and organizing regular public outreach activities to enhance public understanding and awareness of nuclear power development and safety.
Global Times
