China on 13 July began construction of the world's first commercial small modular reactor (SMR) project at the Changjiang NPP in the southern-most island province of Hainan. The project is based on China National Nuclear Corporation’s (CNNC’s Linglong One (ACP100) technology.
The multi-purpose, 125 MWe SMR is a pressurised water reactor designed for electricity generation, urban heating, urban cooling, industrial steam production, or seawater desalination. CNNC began development of the Linglong One in 2010, and it was the first SMR project to pass an independent safety assessment by International Atomic Energy Agency experts in 2016. Its integrated pressurised water reactor (PWR) design was completed in 2014 and it was identified as a 'key project' in China's 12th Five-Year Plan. The design, which has 57 fuel assemblies and integral steam generators, was developed from the larger ACP1000 PWR. It incorporates passive safety features and could be installed underground.
China's state council approved the project earlier this year. The preliminary safety analysis report for the Hainan Changjiang Multipurpose Small Modular Reactor (ACP100) Science and Technology Demonstration Project was reviewed and approved by the National Nuclear Safety Administration in 2020.The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) formally approved its construction in June. The demonstration project is owned by CNNC Hainan Nuclear Power Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNNP. Construction is expected to take 65 months, for startup in May 2025, subject to relevant government approvals.
