Zhangzhou-3 becomes third plant under construction at site in Fujian province
First safety-related concrete has been poured for the nuclear island of Unit 3 at the Zhangzhou nuclear power station in Fujian province, southeast China, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.
Zhangzhou-3 is the third Hualong One plant under construction at the site.
Construction of Zhangzhou-1 began in October 2019 and of Zhangzhou-2 in September 2020.
Those units are scheduled to enter commercial operation in 2024 and 2025.
The Hualong One, or HPR1000, is an indigenous pressurised water reactor unit that incorporates elements of CNNC’s ACP1000 and China General Nuclear’s ACPR1000+ reactor designs.
CNNC’s announcement follows the news earlier this week that construction had begun of the first phase of its Jinqimen nuclear power station project in Zhejiang province, eastern China.
The Jinqimen-1 and -2 project will have two Hualong One units, said Yicai Global, a news outlet run by government-backed Shanghai Media Group.
Apart from the units at Zhangzhou and Jinqimen, China has nine other Hualong One units under construction domestically at five sites – one at Fangchenggang and two each Changjiang, Lufeng, Taipingling and Sanaocun (also known as Zhejiang Sanao and San’ao).
There are two Hualong One plants already in commercial operation at Fuqing in Fujian province.
There are also two Hualong One plants in operation outside China, both in Pakistan at the Kanupp nuclear station, also known as Karachi.
Fastest Expanding Nuclear Generator In World
According to International Atomic Energy Agency data, China has 55 nuclear plants in commercial operation and 23 under construction, not including Zhangzhou-3 or Jinqimen-1 and -2.
In 2022 the nuclear fleet provided about 5% of the country’s electricity production.
Over the past decade China has added 37 nuclear reactors, according to the IAEA. During that same period the US, which leads the world with 93 reactors, added two.
The IAEA says China is the fastest expanding nuclear power generator in the world.
Beijing is trying to curb its reliance on coal, which pollutes the air and is hard to transport from the coal mines in the west and north of the country to the economically developed southeast coast, where China is building most of its reactors.
With nuclear, it plans to increase energy security, lower its reliance on coal and oil and limit CO2 emissions while keeping up with its economic growth, the IAEA said.
