China taking the nuclear option in its drive towards carbon neutrality
- Facing growing energy demand but needing to slash its reliance on coal, the country has rapidly expanded its nuclear capacity
- It is leading the way in nuclear reactor development, with the latest tech designed to be much cleaner, safer and more efficient
On Sunday, the world’s first high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), at Shidaowan nuclear power plant in the eastern province of Shandong, achieved criticality – meaning it had reached the normal operating condition of a reactor.
Construction of the 200 megawatts (MW) project began in 2012. It will be connected to the power grid by the end of this year, according to China Huaneng Group, the lead organisation in the consortium building it.
The reactor has been fully developed domestically with Chinese intellectual property, and has features of fourth-generation nuclear technology, the group said.
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Its successful operation could be a breakthrough for the industry and underscore China’s leading role in the field, according to energy experts and industry insiders.