Hualong One: China’s First Nuclear Reactor

China’s has connected its first nuclear power reactor using Hualong One technology to the grid located in Fujian Province of the Southeast China.

Key Facts

  • Hualong One Technology is a domestically developed third-generation reactor design.
  • After this was connected to the grid,  No. 5 unit of the Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant started generating electricity. Fuqing Nuclear Power plant is the nuclear plant of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
  • This move of China shows its great improvement in the competitiveness of nuclear power industry. This development is significant to restructure the energy plan and low-carbon development.

Hualong One

Hualong one technology is a homegrown nuclear power reactor design of China. It is one of the world’s most advanced designs. This technology has more than 700 patents and 120 software copyrights. It comprise of 411 core parts. All of these parts have been designed and made domestically in China. The design has a lifespan of 60 years. It also comprise of 177 reactor cores that will be replaced every 18 months. The No. 5 unit of Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant is first pilot project in the world that is using the Hualong One design.  China has started constructing the Hualong One Technology in May 2015. For this technology, China had utilized nearly 10,000 technicians and workers. Currently, 6 units are in the construction phase based in this technology in China and other parts of the World.

Nuclear power projects of China

China will also make two more demonstration Hualong One units in its Autonomous region of Guangxi operational soon. Apart from it,  China National Nuclear Corporation has started construction of two more Hualong one units at the Zhangzhou plant. It has also made a plan for constructing five Hualong One Nuclear reactors for Pakistan. Four of them will be constructed at Karachi Nuclear Power plant and one will be constructed at Chashma Nuclear Power plant. These units are under construction and would start operating by 2021-2022.