The first Hualong One nuclear power unit in south China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area officially entered commercial operation on Monday.
The newly commissioned Unit 1 of China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) Guangdong Taipingling Nuclear Power Project achieved multiple key technological breakthroughs and completed 26 major design upgrades, according to engineers. It also marked the simultaneous completion and handover of both the physical plant and its integrated digital system.
Unit 1 is expected to generate more than nine billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is sufficient to meet the yearly power needs of around one million residents in the Greater Bay Area.
Zhang Guoqiang, head of CGN Huizhou Nuclear Power Project, said the project helps advance the nation's carbon reduction drive.
"The clean energy output is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 8.4 million tons or adding around 20,000 hectares of forest. Currently, Unit 1 has completed all performance tests and a 168-hour full-power continuous operation assessment. All parameters of the unit are normal and stable, and the unit is in good condition," said Zhang.
The Taipingling Nuclear Power Project is planned to build six Hualong One units in three phases. Once fully completed, the project is expected to generate more than 55 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
"Hualong One" is China's domestically developed third-generation nuclear reactor. The technology is considered vital in the country's pursuit of improving its energy mix and meeting its dual carbon targets of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
First Hualong One nuclear power unit in China's Greater Bay Area starts power generation
The China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone is accelerating the implementation of reform measures including customs clearance facilitation at ports, in efforts to boost quality growth of the local region's open economy.
China expanded its pilot free trade zones (FTZs) to 23 in April with the establishment of the one in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The State Council's plan on the new pilot FTZ specifies 19 reform and innovation measures, including developing border trade in an innovative way, strengthening international logistics services, improving the efficiency of technology transfer and application, and expanding external exchanges across multiple fields.
The China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot FTZ covers 119.74 square kilometers and comprises three subzones in Hohhot, capital of the autonomous region, Manzhouli, a northern border city, and Erenhot, an inland port on the China-Mongolia border, each tasked with differentiated functions and the development of industries tailored to local conditions.
At the intelligent freight checkpoint of the Manzhouli inland port, drivers can complete customs clearance within just a few seconds by showing a QR code to the scanning machine.
The QR code is generated by a smartphone application, which collects the relevant customs clearance information in advance.
"Only one QR code is needed for customs clearance here. We can go through all the required formalities and have the entire application documentation processed through electronic data transmission. After getting the QR code and having it scanned at the checkpoint, the driver will be allowed to enter the country. It's very convenient and fast," said Zhao Shuang, general manager of a freight company in Manzhouli.
From January to April, Manzhouli's total foreign trade volume increased by 43.1 percent year on year.
Inner Mongolia pilot FTZ accelerates reform to boost quality growth
