China's Hualong-1 nuclear power units advance green, other key infrastructure

China is building its self-developed third-generation Hualong-1 nuclear power units in batches, following the units' successful commercial launch three years ago. Hualong-1 is becoming a new productive force that is bolstering energy infrastructure and advancing green development.

Xu Pengfei, chairman of the China National Nuclear Engineering Corporation, said the first Hualong-1 units in China and Pakistan are operating successfully, and plans are now underway to build an additional five units in China.

"Hualong-1 represents a collaborative effort at innovation. Thousands of companies in the industrial chain have been united in research and development to make technological breakthroughs," Xu said.

"More than 90 percent of the equipment and components of Hualong-1 are domestically supplied," he stressed.

The very first of Hualong-1 unit is located at Fuqing power plant in southeast China's Fujian Province. Staff there said the unit has completed the very first phase of its commercial operations, and they are pursuing excellence in operational safety to meet assessments by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO).

The power units are key to shaping the nation's energy landscape and advancing green development goals.

Each Hualong-1 unit boasts an installed capacity of more than 1.1 million kilowatts, generating nearly 10 billion kilowatts of electricity annually, which can meet the demand of 1 million people in medium-sized developed countries.

This translates to annual reductions in standard coal consumption by more than 3.1 million tonnes, and carbon emissions by over 8.1 million tonnes.

Hualong-1 units are also becoming part of an integrated plan for green energy.

"It helps China address energy shortages and makes contributions as a new productive force," Xu said.

He said one of the key features of Hualong-1 is that it's developed with the digital transformation in mind and features smarter features with a safer operating system.

"In the next two years, new power units are set to be delivered with a more comprehensive digital design," he said.