Construction of Hualong One reactor began in November
Workers have installed the first segment of the inner steel containment for Unit 3 of the Sanao* nuclear power station in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, according to the official China National Nuclear Power News Network (CNNPN).
Construction of the 1,116-MW Hualong One pressurised water reactor unit began in November 2025 with pouring of the concrete baseplate for the nuclear island.
At a nuclear reactor, the inner containment is a critical safety component, designed to prevent radioactive leakage into the environment in the event of an emergency. It consists of several steel rings or tiers installed on top of one another.
CNNPN said the bottom segment for Sanao-3 weighs about 223 tonnes.
The Sanao nuclear power station will eventually consist of six domestically developed Hualong One units. Construction of the first two units at Sanao began in December 2020 and December 2021.
According to developer China General Nuclear, upon completion, the Sanao project will provide over 54 TWh of electricity annually to Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta region.
* Sanao is also known as Sanaocun or Zhejiang Sanao
