China starts building small nuclear reactor in Hainan

2021-07-14
english.www.gov.cn/Xinhua

An aerial photo taken on July 13 shows the construction site of Linglong One, the world's first commercial small modular reactor (SMR) project, at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in South China's Hainan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

HAIKOU — China started construction of the world's first commercial small modular reactor (SMR) project on land in the country's southernmost island province of Hainan on July 13.

The project is based at the Changjiang nuclear power plant and uses Linglong One (ACP100) technology. It was self-developed by the China National Nuclear Corporation.

The multipurpose, small modular pressurized water reactor is a massive achievement of independent innovation after Hualong One, a domestically designed third-generation nuclear reactor.

Compared with the bigger Hualong One, the 125 MWe Linglong One reactor is designed for electricity generation, urban heating, urban cooling, industrial steam production, or seawater desalination.

The Linglong One was the world's first SMR approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2016.

An aerial photo taken on July 13 shows the construction site of the Linglong One reactor at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in South China's Hainan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The construction site of the Linglong One reactor at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in South China's Hainan province. .[Photo/Xinhua]

The construction site of the Linglong One reactor at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in South China's Hainan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Workers at the construction site of the Linglong One reactor at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in South China's Hainan province. [Photo/Xinhua]