Beijing Greenlights Six More Newbuilds

Beijing approved six new nuclear reactors in one go this week, in this year's first batch of green lights for new nuclear. The approvals also saw two newcomers — state owned utilities Datang and Huaneng — entering into the country’s exclusive nuclear club. The six newbuilds approved in a Jul. 31 State Council meeting were China National Nuclear Corp.’s (CNNC's) Xudabu-1 and -2 in Liaoning province, Datang's Ningde-5 and -6 in Fujian and Huaneng's Shidaowan-1 and -2 in Shandong. The Xudabu CAP1000s will join the Rosatom-supplied VVER-1200s at Xudabu -3 and -4 that started construction in 2021-22. Datang’s 47%-owned Ningde-5 and -6 will be integrated Hualong-Ones, supported by partners China General Nuclear (CGN, 43%) and the local government (10%). Huaneng’s Shidao Bay-1 and -2 will reference CGN’s Taipingling-1 and -2 in Guangdong, two of China's first-of-a-kind integrated Hualong-Ones designed by Hualong-One Corp., a CGN-CNNC joint venture (JV). Huaneng and its affiliated companies own 75% of the Shidao Bay project, with State Nuclear Power Technology owning the remaining 25%.