The Shidao Bay-1 nuclear power in China has begun commercial operation, becoming what Beijing says is the first Generation IV* plant in the world to go online, China’s National Energy Administration said in a post on social media network WeChat.

The HTR-PM (high-temperature reactor-pebble-bed modules) plant, in Shandong province, northeastern China, was given permission to start commercial operation after it operated for 168 consecutive hours, the CEA said.

China has said the Shidao Bay station, owned by China Huaneng Group, will ultimately have 10 units. Each unit consists of two small HTR-PM reactors of about 100 MW driving a single 210 MW steam turbine.

Construction of the plant, also known as Shidaowan, began in 2012 and it was connected to the grid in 2021.