Third unit at Changjiang site commissioned

First concrete was poured for the base slab of unit 3's nuclear island in March 2021, with that of unit 4 being poured in the December of that year. Changjiang Phase II - units 3 and 4 - represents a total estimated investment of CNY40 billion (USD5.9 billion), according to China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share in the project. Both units are scheduled to be fully operational in early 2027.

Changjiang 3 achieved first criticality - a sustained chain reaction - on 10 July this year and was connected to the grid on 1 August.

The Changjiang nuclear site is already home to two operating CNP-600 PWRs - Changjiang 1 and 2 - which entered commercial operation in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2021, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) also began construction of a demonstration ACP100 small modular reactor at the site. The multi-purpose 125 MWe PWR - also referred to as the Linglong One - is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination. It is currently undergoing pre-commissioning tests.

The island province of Hainan is China's southernmost point. Energy policies published in 2019 by Hainan Province Development and Reform Commission specify that nuclear power will become the primary source of electricity for the island, which has a population of close to 10 million.

"Upon full completion, the Phase II project is expected to generate 18 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, replacing more than 6.32 million metric tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 11.6 million tons every year," Liu Bin, general manager of Huaneng Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Company Ltd was quoted as saying by China Daily. "This will provide a clean, safe, and efficient power supply to anchor the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port while accelerating the nation's progress toward its dual-carbon targets."

Changjiang 3 becomes the first large-scale power reactor that China Huaneng Group has constructed and operated as the controlling stakeholder. The company holds a controlling stake in the demonstration High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM) at the Shidaowan site in Shandong Province, which entered commercial operation in December 2023. China Huaneng also holds minority stakes in a number of other units.