China’s first homegrown nuclear reactor begins loading fuel
[BEIJING] China’s homegrown nuclear technology took a significant step forward as a Hualong One reactor began loading fuel for the first time.
China National Nuclear Power Co, a unit of China National Nuclear Corp, said fuel loading started at the Fuqing No 5 reactor, the first to use the domestic technology, on Sept 4 after securing an operating license from the nation’s Ministry of Ecology & Environment, according a statement on its WeChat account. No timeline was given for starting up the reactor.
Hualong One development is being closely watched in the battle for the nation’s next-generation nuclear power systems. Its success could mean a nuclear revival in China that would have little to do with western developers including Westinghouse Electric Co from the US and France’s Electricite de France SA.
China had almost 49 gigawatts of nuclear power installed as of 2019 and should get into the mid-fifties this year…
