As the world welcomed 2025 with fireworks and ball drops, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) celebrated a milestone of its own: a new reactor.
On Jan. 1, CNNC commenced operations at Unit 1 of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Project in southeastern China.
- The Hualong One reactor has a net design capacity of 1.12 GW.
- The move aligns with China’s ambitious goal of diversifying its energy grid and cementing its position as a global leader in nuclear power.
Unit 1, the first of six Hualong One reactors planned for the site, can produce over 10M MWh of electricity annually—enough to power 1M people in a moderately developed country.
Double, double: The People’s Republic nuclear expansion shows no signs of slowing.
Unit 2 of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant is under construction, and 28 more nuclear reactors are being built across the country, accounting for nearly half of all reactors under construction worldwide. According to the World Nuclear Association, these projects are expected to come online by the end of the decade, significantly boosting China’s nuclear capacity. Over the next 12 months, China anticipates opening four reactors: Taipingling 1, Xiapu 1, Zhangzhou 2, and Shidaowan Guohe One 2.
The launch of Zhangzhou Unit 1 brings China’s total nuclear capacity to ~56.9 GW. With the completion of its 28 reactors currently under construction, China’s nuclear capacity will reach 87.7 GW, just 10 GW shy of the United States’ 97 GW capacity.
China is planning 36 additional nuclear projects and has proposed 158 more. In contrast, the US has no large-scale reactors planned or under construction, though there are 13 proposed projects.
Taking the lead: China’s aggressive nuclear expansion is dominated by state-owned powerhouses like CNNC and the China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN). With these developments, China is on track to overtake the US in nuclear capacity and redefine the global energy landscape as it continues its push toward nuclear leadership.
