Construction permit granted for new Chinese plant

"We believe that the submitted application documents comply with relevant national laws and nuclear safety regulations, and that the design principles and nuclear safety-related activities of units 1 and 2 of the Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant meet the requirements of China's nuclear safety regulations," the NNSA said. 

The construction of two 1200 MWe Hualong One reactors as Phase I of the Jinqimen plant was approved by China's State Council at a meeting on 29 December 2023. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in February 2024 to mark the start of work on the units.

China National Nuclear Corporation subsidiary CNNC Zhejiang Energy Co Ltd will be responsible for project investment, construction and operations management of the new plant, which will eventually house six Hualong One units.

"Our inspection team conducted an on-site inspection of the nuclear island preparations for unit 1 of the Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant," NNSA told CNNC Zhejiang Energy. "We concluded that all on-site preparations are in place for the pouring of the first concrete for the nuclear island foundation. Your company may proceed with the pouring of the first concrete for unit 1's nuclear island foundation."

Once all six units have been completed, the total installed capacity of the Jinqimen plant will be about 7.2 GWe, and the annual grid-connected electricity will be some 55 TWh, which according to CNNC is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 50 million tonnes.