Groundwork begins for demonstration Hualong One 2.0 units

The construction of two Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors as Phase II of the Jinqimen plant was approved during a State Council executive meeting chaired by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on 31 July. The units have been designated as demonstration projects of the Hualong One 2.0 reactor design.

Hualong One 2.0 is described as "an advanced pressurised water reactor (PWR) nuclear power technology combining third-generation and advanced technologies, developed through independent innovation and overall collaboration, based on feedback from the construction and operation experience of Hualong One". CNNC noted that, so far, 10 Hualong One units are commercially operational both domestically and internationally, with another 37 units approved for construction.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced that a mobilisation meeting for the construction of the units was held on 9 September, during which "the first blast of the Phase II excavation was successfully detonated, marking the full-scale advancement of Phase II construction".

The construction of two Hualong One reactors as Phase I of the Jinqimen plant was approved by China's State Council in December 2023. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in February 2024 to mark the start of work on the units. First concrete for the foundation of the reactor building of unit 1 was poured on 10 August last year, marking the official start of construction of the unit. First concrete for unit 2 was poured on 4 April this year.

_{The Jinqimen site (Image: CNNC)}

CNNC subsidiary CNNC Zhejiang Energy Co Ltd is responsible for project investment, construction and operations management of the new plant, which will eventually house six Hualong One units. Another CNNC subsidiary, China Nuclear Engineering & Construction Corporation, is responsible for the construction of the nuclear island, conventional island, and key facilities of the Jinqimen nuclear power project.

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 half of Ningbo's total electricity consumption in 2024. The plant, it said, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 45 million tonnes. "This will provide strong support for energy and power supply and green and low-carbon transformation in Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta region," the company said.