China's Hongyanhe Nuclear Power puts sixth reactor into commercial operation

SINGAPORE: China's state-run Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Company put a sixth reactor into commercial operation on Thursday (Jun 23), marking the completion of the country's single-largest nuclear power plant, according to its key stakeholder.

The plant, located in the north-east province of Liaoning, has a total installed capacity of 6.71 gigawatts (GW) encompassing six pressured water reactors, said China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN), which holds a 45 per cent stake in Hongyanhe.

At 6.71 GW, the plant's capacity is roughly 12 per cent of China's total installed nuclear power capacity. Hongyanhe's five other reactors entered commercial production between 2013 and 2021.

China is looking to nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuel to meet its climate goals. It aims to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060.

In the first five months of this year, nuclear power generation totalled 166.3 billion kilowatt-hours, 4.5 per cent higher than a year earlier.

That compares to a 3.3 per cent yearly fall in the country's total power output and 11 per cent drop in thermal power.