The main structure of Unit 1 at the Taipingling Nuclear Power Plant, located in Huizhou City, south China’s Guangdong Province, was completed on Thursday with the installation of its outer dome. The dome, measuring 36 meters in radius and about 11 meters in height—roughly the size of five basketball courts—marks a significant milestone in the construction of the region’s first Hualong-1 nuclear power unit.
Scheduled to be operational in 2025, Unit 1 will be capable of providing 10 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually. This introduction of the Hualong-1 third-generation nuclear technology is set to enhance the clean energy capacity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Taipingling Nuclear Power Plant is planned to house six 1-million-kilowatt Hualong-1 nuclear power units. Currently, Unit 1 is in the critical phase of installation and commissioning, while Unit 2 is entering the peak period of equipment installation. Both units are expected to be operational by 2025, with each unit capable of meeting the annual electricity needs of one million people.
Upon completion, the plant is projected to generate over 50 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. According to Zhang Guoqiang from China General Nuclear Power Group, who oversees the construction of the plant, this output will reduce standard coal consumption by over 15 million tonnes and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 41.2 million tonnes each year.
“The environmental benefits are equivalent to planting nearly 113,000 hectares of forest,” Zhang said, highlighting the plant’s contribution to China’s green energy initiatives and environmental conservation efforts.
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Main structure of Greater Bay Area's 1st Hualong-1 unit completed
cgtn.com
