World's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant goes into commercial operation in China

The world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant, the Shidaowan high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) nuclear power plant, officially went into commercial operation in east China's Shandong Province on Wednesday, according to the National Energy Administration and China Huaneng Group.

The project, for which China owns fully independent intellectual property rights, is located in Rongcheng County, Weihai City, and was jointly developed by China Huaneng Group, Tsinghua University and China National Nuclear Corporation.

Zhang Yanxu, general manager of Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Company, told China Media Group (CMG) that the nuclear power plant has an installed capacity of 200,000 kilowatts, and the localization rate of its equipment reached 93.4 percent.

After passing a 168-hour stable operation test, the project was officially put into commercial operation to continuously deliver clean and stable power to the power grid, symbolizing China's global leadership in the field of HTGR nuclear power technology, said Zhang.

The construction of the Shidaowan HTGR nuclear power plant started in December 2012; it generated power for the first time in December 2021 after a nine-year effort. 

Advanced tech for clean energy

Zhang Zuoyi, chief designer of the major program of the HTGR nuclear power station, said that HTGR is an advanced type of reactor that features fourth-generation nuclear power technology and represents a key development direction of nuclear power.

With "safety" as a key characteristic, the reactor can maintain a safe state and steer away from a meltdown or leak of radioactive materials. This capability is maintained even in the event of a complete loss of cooling capacity without any intervention, said the chief designer, who is also the dean of the nuclear energy and new energy technology institute at Tsinghua University.

More than 500 companies majoring in design and development, engineering construction, equipment manufacturing, production and operation participated in the project, according to general manager Zhang Yanxu.

Zhang told CMG that the project team developed over 2,200 sets of the world's first units of equipment and developed six key technologies for the operation of HTGR.

The commercial operation of the nuclear power plant is of great significance in promoting the safety as well as the scientific, technological and innovation capabilities of China's nuclear power development, the general manager noted.

In addition to producing green electricity, the high-temperature steam generated by nuclear reactors can also be widely used for heating, hydrogen production, chemical industry, metallurgy and other industries, said Zhang Yanxu.

These will better help to optimize China's energy structure and further achieve the country's "dual carbon" goals, which aim to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Zhang Yanxu added.