Unit 2 of the China National Nuclear Corporation's Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant in east China's Fujian Province has officially entered commercial operation on Thursday after successfully completing a 168-hour full-power continuous operation test, marking the full commissioning of Phase I of the world's largest Hualong One nuclear power base.

Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant is the starting point for the large-scale deployment of China's domestically-developed Hualong One nuclear technology and is planned to host six Hualong One units.

At present, Units 1 and 2 are in commercial operation. Unit 1 has generated more than 10.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. Construction is underway for Units 3 and 4, while preparatory work for Units 5 and 6 is progressing steadily. Once fully completed, the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant is expected to provide about 60 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually.

Hualong One is a third-generation nuclear technology independently developed by China with full intellectual property rights. It is seen as a key milestone in China's transition from a major nuclear power country to a global nuclear power leader. A single Hualong One unit can generate up to 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 8.16 million tonnes – equivalent to cutting standard coal consumption by more than 3 million tonnes annually.

To date, Hualong One has become the third-generation nuclear technology with the largest number of reactors either in operation or approved for construction worldwide.