China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) has officially started the construction of a giant energy project in East China’s Shandong Province. The Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant, once completed, will generate approximately 50 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the residential energy needs of 5 million people.
The facility will save 15.27 million tons of coal annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 46.2 million tons. Experts evaluate the environmental benefit of this reduction as equivalent to planting over 110,000 hectares of forest. A total of six Hualong One reactors are planned for the plant site, and the facility’s total installed capacity will be approximately 7.2 GW.
Innovative Cooling Tower Active for the First Time
Concrete pouring for the first unit of construction began last Tuesday. This process symbolizes the first use of a 203-meter high natural draft cooling tower for the Hualong One reactor model.
The 16,800 square meter spraying area allows the facility to shift its primary cooling source from the sea to the atmosphere. Shandong Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Company Executive Director Yu Xiangdong stated that this innovation reduces energy consumption and enables the reuse of water resources. As is known, traditional plant designs typically require installation in coastal regions since seawater is available there. However, China’s new design represents a strategic departure from seawater-based cooling systems. “Secondary circuit cooling technology” increases the facility’s flexibility by utilizing the atmospheric heat sink effect.
The power plant is also equipped with a “natural + mechanical” dual-layer safety system. CGN Power Engineering‘s Deputy General Manager Yang Yazhang explained that the natural draft tower could maintain operations for at least two hours even if the external water supply is cut off, providing sufficient time for a safe shutdown. Additionally, the facility will be equipped with a large water tank. This tank will be able to sustain reactor cooling for 30 days without water replenishment.
Nuclear Breakthrough in China
Meanwhile, Hualong One is a third-generation pressurized water reactor (PWR) developed with China’s completely domestic design. With a design life of 60 years, the reactor operates on an 18-month fuel cycle and can provide around 1100 MW of net electricity generation. Today, 41 Hualong One units are in the construction or operation phase.
According to the China National Energy Administration, the country has approved an average of 10 new nuclear units per year since 2022, and currently, 59 units are in operation, while 53 units are under construction. The total installed capacity has exceeded 125 million kilowatts, ranking first globally.
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