Country now has second largest nuclear reactor fleet in world behind US
The Zhangzhou-1 nuclear power plant in Fujian province, eastern China, has begun commercial operation, bringing the number of nuclear plants online in the country to 57 – the second highest number in the world.
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), quoted by state media, said in November that Zhangzhou-1 had been connected to the grid and had “met all conditions for commercial operation”. It has now said commercial operation began on 1 January 2025.
Zhangzhou-1 is the first of four Generation III 1,126-MW Hualong One, or HPR-1000 units listed under construction at the site. Zhangzhou-2 is likely to be the next unit to go online, sometime this year.
China is planning to add two more units at Zhangzhou. CNNC said recently that “preliminary work” had begun on Zhangzhou-5 and -6.
Commercial operation of Zhangzhou-1 brings the number of nuclear power plants online in China to 57, with 28 under construction, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) data.
In terms of the number of reactors in operation, this moves China past France, which has 56, into second place. The US is first with 94 units.
According to the China Nuclear Energy Association, the Zhangzhou nuclear power station is the starting point for the mass construction of Hualong One plants and “the largest Hualong One nuclear power base in the world”.
According to IAEA data there are 18 Hualong One units either under construction in operation or in China. Outside China, construction has begun in Pakistan of a Hualong One at the Chasnupp-5 nuclear power plant in Pakistan.
The Hualong One is an indigenous, three-loop pressurised water reactor. It incorporates elements of CNNC’s ACP1000 and China General Nuclear’s ACPR1000+ reactor designs.
The Zhangzhou project is owned by CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, a joint venture between CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%).
Nuclear power still provides just 5% of China’s electricity generation, compared to 65% in France and 18% in the US.
Beijing has ambitious plans to double its share of nuclear power generation to 10% by 2035 and increase it to 18% by 2060. State news outlets have said the government wants to approve between six and eight new nuclear reactor units per year for the foreseeable future.
China is planning to add two more Hualing One reactor units at Zhangzhou. Courtesy CNNC.
