CGN starts building a 1.2 GW reactor at the Lufeng nuclear plant (China)

The Chinese state-owned corporation China General Nuclear (CGN) has started construction of the 1.2 GW Unit 5 of the upcoming Lufeng nuclear power plant (6.4 GW), located on the coast of the Guangdong province (southern China). The new unit is expected to cost CNY20bn (US$3bn).

Lufeng’s Units 5 and 6 are HPR1000 (Hualong One) pressurised water reactors with a capacity of 1.2 GW each, while Units 1 through 4 are CAP1000 reactors with a capacity of 1 GW. The construction of the Hualong One reactors was approved by China’s State Council in April 2022, whereas the CAP1000 reactors have received approval from the National Development and Reform Commission, but not yet from the State Council.

In July 2022, China also started construction of units 3 and 4 of the Haiyang nuclear power plant, totalling 2.5 GW. In June 2022, the country started construction of a 1 GW reactor at the Sanmen nuclear plant in Zhejiang, and began commercial operations of unit 6 (1.1 GW) of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in Liaoning.

At end-2021, China’s nuclear capacity reached 53.3 GW (+7% compared to 2020) and its nuclear power generation reached 408 TWh (+11.3% compared to 2020). China targets 200 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035.