China General Nuclear Power Group announced the start of commercial operation of the first power unit at the Taiping Ling nuclear power plant in Guangdong province.
This refers to the Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor, a Chinese-designed advanced third-generation (3+) reactor with a net electrical power of 1116 MW.
Prior to commissioning, the unit underwent a full cycle of testing, including 168 hours of continuous operation at full power. It also obtained all necessary permits during the preparation phase, before fuel loading began and the unit gradually reached the critical reaction state.
Once it reaches its design capacity, the power plant will produce more than 9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. According to estimates by China General Nuclear Power Group, this amount is sufficient to meet the needs of approximately one million people in the Greater Bay Area, which includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau.
The company estimates that operating the unit will contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 8.4 million tons per year, which is equivalent to afforesting about 20,000 hectares.
The Taiping Ling Nuclear Power Plant is one of China's largest energy projects, planned to include six Hualong One reactors, and will be implemented in phases. Total investment exceeds 120 billion yuan (approximately US$17 billion).
Upon completion of all phases, the plant's production capacity will exceed 55 billion kilowatt-hours per year, contributing to a reduction in reliance on coal. This is estimated to save approximately 16.65 million tons of fuel equivalent and nearly 50 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Construction of the first two units began in 2019–2020, while the second unit is preparing to load fuel, and the third unit is still under construction after the project expansion was approved in 202
The project is a key part of China's energy security strategy and its transition to low-carbon energy. The design incorporated 26 major modifications and over 8,300 engineering improvements.
Special attention was also given to digitalization, with the first implementation of an advanced digital data transmission system (3.0), which allows the integration of the station’s operational processes with a real-time digital model.
With the commissioning of the Taiping Ling-1 unit, China General Nuclear Power Group now operates 29 nuclear power units with a total capacity exceeding 33 gigawatts, while continuing to build 19 additional units, most of which are based onHualong One technology.
