Hainan Starts Commercial Operation of Its First Hualong One Nuclear Reactor

Hainan has officially brought its first Hualong One nuclear reactor into commercial operation. China Huaneng announced that Unit 3 of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II project commenced commercial service on September 17. The 1.2-gigawatt generation unit marks a key milestone for the island province's clean power infrastructure, featuring an equipment localization rate of 98.1 percent and a proprietary digital production management system. Once Unit 4 is also completed, the two-unit expansion is projected to generate 18 billion kilowatt-hours annually.

The commissioning of Changjiang Unit 3 represents the practical deployment of third-generation Hualong One pressurized water reactor technology in Hainan, supporting the Hainan Free Trade Port with baseload clean electricity. A 98.1 percent domestic equipment rate and indigenous digital management software also highlight China's progress in securing domestic supply chains for high-end nuclear engineering.

Hainan has commenced commercial operation of its first Hualong One nuclear power unit, expanding the island province's base of low-carbon electricity, state media reported on September 17. Unit 3 of the Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II project officially entered commercial service following the completion of testing milestones, according to reports from People's Daily. The facility is equipped with China's proprietary Hualong One third-generation pressurized water reactor technology and is currently the largest power construction project under development in Hainan. The Phase II project is designed to house two 1.2-gigawatt nuclear units, designated as Units 3 and 4. According to project operator China Huaneng, the combined two-unit expansion is projected to generate 18 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year once both reactors are fully operational. At full capacity, the facility is estimated to save more than 6.32 million metric tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 11.6 million tons annually, providing continuous power for the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Liu Bin, general manager and deputy party committee secretary of Huaneng Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Co., stated that the Hualong One design incorporates a combination of active and passive safety features. Under emergency scenarios, passive safety mechanisms can rely on natural physical phenomena such as gravity and natural circulation to sustain core cooling, substantially mitigating core meltdown risks. Project engineers implemented 86 tailored design optimizations during construction, achieving a domestic equipment localization rate of 98.1 percent, according to an official from the company's operations department. The project also deployed an independently developed nuclear production management software platform known as HAP. The system incorporates fifth-generation telecommunications, video monitoring, and artificial intelligence into plant operations, transitioning maintenance and management protocols toward data-driven control backed by domestically sourced hardware and software components.