China Begins to Build Its Small Modular Nuclear Reactor that Will Generate a Billion kWh Every Year

China has started building the world's first commercial onshore small nuclear reactor project earlier this month on the southern island of Hainan. The said project is called the Linglong One or also known as ACP100, while each unit of the nuclear reactor will have a power generating capacity of 125kWh.

According to Forbes, the small modular reactor (SMR) project will take about five years to build and will approximately generate a total of one billion kWh every year. This project hopes to solve the remaining energy problem of the country as over one-third of China's population is still energy poor, having little access to electricity.

The country now leads the world in total energy production and intends to increase further with the nuclear reactor.

China's Nuclear Future

China is set to lead the world in nuclear energy sooner than other countries think, according to the news outlet. The country currently has 49 operating nuclear reactors with a capacity of 47.5 GW and 17 under construction nuclear reactors with 18.5 GW.

Although these are lesser than the US and France, China has still over 100 planned nuclear reactors with an anticipated 100 GW each by 2035. That means China will hold close to 50% of the nuclear capacity of the world and plans to double its nuclear energy by 2060 as it seeks to become carbon neutral.

The Linglong One project is part of its ambitious goal to lead the world in nuclear and a national institute dedicated to nuclear research, training, and academic exchange.

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said in a notice earlier this month that the first demonstration of SMR at the nuclear facility in Hainan will "verify the design, manufacture, construction, and operation of the technology and accumulate valuable experience in small nuclear power plants."

According to Reuters, the Linglong One project will support China's bigger third-generation 1,170-MW "Hualong One" reactors that will be rolled out rapidly in the country and overseas.

China is using small nuclear reactors to support construction activities in the disputed territories in the South China Sea and provide urban heating in the northern parts of the country and run desalination facilities along its coasts.

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What are Small Nuclear Reactors?

In the past years, there is a growing interest in small, simpler nuclear reactors for generating electricity. According to the World Nuclear Organization, the interest in these small modular reactors (SMR) is driven by the desire to reduce the impact of capital costs and to provide power from large grid systems.

The SMR could be the redemption of the nuclear power industry after decades of being shunned away, opting for carbons to produce energy. But the miniature nuclear reactors might be the nuclear industry's success.

Nuclear reactor manufacturers are combining new technologies with advanced engineering and a market-friendly approach to develop new systems that produce smaller, less costly reactors than the ones existing.

The Wall Street Journal said that SMRs could be housed in compact containment, operate safely with less protection and supervision, and discard the typical hourglass-shaped cooling towers. Some designs allow it to be immersed in water to prevent overheating.