The core module of China's Linglong One, the world's first commercial small modular reactor (SMR), was successfully installed on Thursday in south China's Hainan Province, marking a milestone node of the SMR's installation. 

"This would pave a solid foundation for the installation and testing of the following auxiliary system," Deng Xiaoliang, deputy general manager of Hainan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. under the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), told CGTN.

The core module, dubbed the "heart of Linglong One", is a highly integrated piece of pressure vessel, steam generator, primary pump receiver and other critical equipment.

Its steam generator had been welded into the reactor pressure vessel before lifting, which is similar to integrating the "lung" and "heart" of the nuclear power plant.

The module is a precision piece of machinery that demands precise control of gravitational acceleration, and the installation of it was picked during good weather for that reason.

"Inclement weather conditions, such as strong winds and heavy rain, pose challenges to the safety of the equipment," Zhao Long, the deputy director of the project engineering department of the institution, told CGTN. 

"In order to ensure a safe and successful installation in one go, we require the weather to be ideal," he added.

Small size, flexible deployment, green contributor

Modular structure is the most prominent feature of Linglong One, which enables short manufacturing cycle with lower cost but higher security.

With a simplified system, the SMR excels in small size, making it easy to be transported and operated. It can also be customized and deployed flexibly based on the client's requirements, contributing to significant economic benefits.

As the world's first land-based commercial small modular pressurized water reactor developed by China National Nuclear Corporation, Linglong One, with a power generation capacity of 125 megawatts, can generate 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year once completed, which can meet the need of 526,000 households, and is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 880,000 tonnes, or planting 7.5 million trees.

It can be applied in multiple scenarios like seawater desalination, urban district heating, industrial steam supply and oil extraction.

The reactor will not only facilitate building Hainan into a "clean energy island" and meeting the country's dual carbon goals toward carbon peak and neutrality, but also promote the global development of nuclear energy.

Video production: Qi Jianqiang

Voiceover: Hu Zhicheng, Gong Zhe