China's Hualong One Nuclear Reactor Connects to Grid at World's Largest Deployment Base
- MM24 News Desk
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) has successfully connected the second unit at the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant to the State Grid, marking a crucial milestone for the world's largest Hualong One reactor base.
This connection at the facility in East China's Fujian Province represents a major step in China's mass deployment of its domestically developed third-generation nuclear technology, positioning it as a flagship for global export.
The initial grid-connection test on Saturday confirmed the unit was operating stably with all technical indicators meeting design standards, according to a statement from CGN sent to the Global Times. The reactor will now undergo further tests before beginning full commercial operation.
Once the Zhangzhou plant is fully completed with its planned six reactor units, it is projected to generate over 60 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually—enough to power approximately 75 percent of the combined demand of Xiamen and Zhangzhou.
"This progress represents a crucial step in China's move toward the large-scale rollout and full localization of its domestically developed nuclear technology," said Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University.
He told the Global Times that this milestone carries far greater strategic significance than simply expanding clean power supply. "Hualong One has effectively become China's flagship brand as the country expands its role in international nuclear-power cooperation."
The reactor's success underscores China's growing dominance in nuclear energy infrastructure. Construction of the No. 2 Unit at Zhangzhou began on September 4, 2020, with nuclear fuel loading completed on October 11, 2025.
Lin emphasized that among the few countries capable of mass-producing third-generation reactors—primarily China, the US, and France—China's Hualong One now stands on par with leading global designs while offering advantages in construction speed, manufacturing capacity, and cost competitiveness.
"For more than a decade, China has been virtually the only country consistently building nuclear plants at scale, placing its construction capability firmly at the forefront globally," Lin stated. As international demand for stable, low-carbon energy intensifies—driven by AI, advanced manufacturing, and global decarbonization efforts—the globalization of Chinese nuclear technology "is becoming an inevitable trend."
The Hualong One reactor represents China's strategic bid to capture a significant share of the international nuclear market with a fully localized, competitive technology.
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