The construction of China's Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Base Phase I expansion project Unit 2 officially began on Wednesday, marking the project's entry into the full-scale construction phase.
The phase I expansion project of Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Base aims to install two additional units in the base, with the construction work of unit 1 started in July 2024. The second unit, featuring the domestically developed third-generation nuclear reactor Hualong-1, is expected to have a designated maximum capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts and generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.
"The expansion project is planned to include four million-kilowatt-level pressurized water units, totaling five million kilowatts in installed capacity. Once completed, the annual power generation will reach 35 billion kWh, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of 17 million three-person households. It will reduce standard coal consumption by 11.5 million tonnes and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 27.6 million tonnes each year," said Zhang Yanxu, chief commander of the Phase I Expansion Project of the Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Base.
In addition to electricity, the base can also generate heat with nuclear power. The Phase I expansion project is expected to add over 20 million square meters of heating coverage, benefiting 600,000 local residents.
Equipped with the world's first high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, also known as the fourth-generation reactor, the Shidao Bay base Nuclear Power Base, located in Rongcheng City of east China's Shandong Province, is the first large-scale nuclear power base in China that simultaneously deploys both third- and fourth-generation nuclear technologies. The base went into commercial operation in December 2023.
China starts construction of Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Base expansion project
The number of temporary accommodation registrations of foreign nationals in Shanghai hit a record high of 7.139 million in 2025, up 49.6 percent from the previous year, the Exit-Entry Administration Corps of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The figure, which had already doubled in 2024, points to a continued rise in the number of foreign nationals visiting and staying in the city, highlighting the metropolis's growing appeal to international visitors.
Shanghai also issued more than 200,000 visas and residence permits to foreigners for the second consecutive year in 2025.
Long-term permits, including residence permits, accounted for a share 10 percentage points higher than the previous year, reflecting growing demand for extended stays.
Officials said the increase mirrors Shanghai's expanding openness and improving services for foreign visitors and residents.
"In 2025, Shanghai processed 7.139 million temporary accommodation registrations for foreigners. Following a doubling from the year before last, the figure rose by another 49.6 percent year on year, marking a historical high in the number of foreign nationals coming to Shanghai," said Song Weiqi, deputy head of the administration corps.
Accommodation registrations are required for foreigners staying in China. In 2025, 94.7 percent of temporary accommodation registrations were handled directly by hotels, resulting in a convenient check-in process.
Among foreigners residing in Shanghai's residential communities, 84.8 percent opted for online self-reporting via a multilingual platform that offers efficient, flexible registration.
Meanwhile, to ease the surge in passport applications for foreign travel ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in mid-February, the administration corps announced plans to extend service hours for residents.
Shanghai hits a record-high 7.14 million expat accommodation registrations in 2025
Shanghai hits a record-high 7.14 million expat accommodation registrations in 2025
