The first Hualong One nuclear power unit in the Yangtze River Delta entered service Wednesday after a 168‑hour full‑power trial, marking a milestone in China's drive for homegrown nuclear technology, operator China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) said.
The No. 1 unit of the San'ao nuclear power project in east China's Zhejiang Province began construction on Dec 31, 2020, and was connected to the grid on March 12, 2026.
"The No. 1 Unit has passed all performance tests and run continuously at full power for 168 hours. All parameters are stable and safety performance is sound. Once operational, the unit is expected to generate more than 9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year," said Ding Jingying, deputy general manager of CGN Cangnan Nuclear Power Co.
The San'ao project is the first nuclear power project in China to incorporate private investment. It is designed to host six Hualong One units, to be built in three phases. Four units have already been approved, and construction is moving forward as planned.
When all six units are up and running, their total annual power output is expected to exceed 54 billion kilowatt-hours, roughly equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of the entire Wenzhou metropolitan area. That would save more than 16.35 million tonnes of standard coal and cut carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 50 million tonnes each year, CGN said.
First Hualong One nuclear power unit enters service in Yangtze River Delta
