State Council Approves Four Nuclear Power Projects Adding Eight Units, Led by Indigenous Generation III

The State Council executive meeting decided on July 31 to approve four nuclear power projects, with a total of eight nuclear generating units. The approved projects are Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Phase II (Units 3 and 4), Guangdong Taipingling Nuclear Power Phase III (Units 5 and 6), Liaoning Zhuanghe Nuclear Power Phase I (Units 1 and 2) and Shandong Laiyang Nuclear Power Phase I (Units 1 and 2). The meeting said nuclear units should be built and operated to the world's highest safety standards, with relevant entities' primary responsibilities consolidated and full-chain, full-domain safety supervision strengthened to ensure nuclear safety is guaranteed without fail.

The eight units will be invested in, built and operated separately by CNNC, CGN and SPIC, forming a “three companies, two technologies” structure. CNNC will handle Jinqimen Phase II and Zhuanghe Phase I, CGN Taipingling Phase III, and SPIC Laiyang Phase I.

In terms of technology routes, the newly approved projects are led by indigenous Generation III nuclear technology. Six units at Jinqimen Phase II, Taipingling Phase III and Zhuanghe Phase I will use Hualong One technology; Jinqimen Phase II and Taipingling Phase III have been designated Hualong One 2.0 demonstration projects. Hualong One is a million-kilowatt-class Generation III pressurized-water reactor technology with fully independent intellectual property rights; 10 units are in commercial operation at home and abroad, and 37 more have been approved or are under construction. Laiyang Phase I will adopt SPIC's independently developed Guohe One technology, which also carries fully independent intellectual property rights and has a single-unit generating capacity of 1.534 million kW.

The Zhuanghe site began site selection in 2006 and is planned for six Hualong One units; the Phase I owner, CNNC Datang Zhuanghe Nuclear Power Co. , is responsible for construction, commissioning, operation and management. Jinqimen is Zhejiang's fourth nuclear base, after Qinshan, Sanmen and San'ao; it is planned for six units in three phases. The Phase II owner, CNNC (Xiangshan) Nuclear Energy Co. , is controlled by CNNC Zheneng Energy Co. , with Youngor Group, Ningbo Riyue Group and others holding stakes. Taipingling is planned as six Hualong One units across three phases; its Phase I Unit 1 began commercial operation on April 19, 2026, and Unit 2 completed its first grid connection on July 4.

From 2022 to 2025, China approved 10 or more nuclear units every year for four consecutive years; the previous single-year peak was 14 units in 2008. Since 2022, China has approved 49 nuclear units to date, with total investment of nearly RMB 1 trillion. By the end of 2025, installed capacity of nuclear units in operation nationwide was 62.52 million kW. The 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a New Energy System, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration on June 25, 2026, calls for maintaining a steady nuclear construction pace and reaching about 110 million kW of in-operation nuclear installed capacity by 2030.