Phase III of Haiyang Nuclear Power Complex Construction Begins
The nuclear island of Unit 5 at the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant in Haiyang, East China's Shandong Province started construction on Saturday, marking the beginning of Phase III of the Haiyang Nuclear Power Complex. This is among the world's first Generation III nuclear power projects.
Project Details:
The site is planned for 6 million-kilowatt-class reactors in three phases. Phase III, comprising Units 5 and 6 reactors, will utilize a domestically developed advanced Generation III passive pressurized water reactor. This project is the first in Shandong to break ground during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period.
Impact and Benefits:
With Phase III's construction, the Haiyang Nuclear Power Complex enters a new phase of "multi-unit construction and multi-unit operation." It will accelerate diversified nuclear energy development and clustered growth. Once all six units are completed, the complex will become the world's largest nuclear power base built with passive pressurized water reactor technology.
According to the project's post, the annual electricity generation could reach 60.9 billion kilowatt-hours, sufficient to meet the needs of about 54 million residents. The project will save approximately 18.56 million tons of standard coal annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 48.63 million tons, equivalent to planting around 134,000 hectares of broadleaf forest.
Safety Considerations:
The nuclear island, a critical structure, must withstand extreme loads from accidents like earthquakes. Therefore, pouring the massive concrete base slab is a stringent process, requiring continuous operation without interruption.
"Building on modern know-how and past experiences, we've optimized the design to increase each unit's rated electrical output to 1.3 million kilowatts, enabling the plant to provide clean heating for five county-level cities, significantly enhancing energy and resource efficiency," stated Liu Fei, head of SPIC Shandong Nuclear Power's Haiyang project.
China currently leads the world in nuclear power, with 120 operational or approved units, totaling 135 million kilowatts of installed capacity.