China Breaks Ground on Next-Generation Hualong One 2.0 Nuclear Reactors

Second Phase of Jinqimen Plant Moves Forward

Site levelling and excavation work has officially commenced for the second phase of the Jinqimen nuclear power plant in China’s Zhejiang province, marking a significant step toward the deployment of the country’s latest domestically designed reactor technology. The initial groundwork paves the way for what will serve as the demonstration units for the Hualong One 2.0, an upgraded iteration of China’s flagship pressurised water reactor.

The development was confirmed through reporting tied to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the state-owned enterprise spearheading the project. While detailed timelines and licensing milestones for the construction phase have not been publicly disclosed, the start of earthworks signals that the long-planned expansion is transitioning from design to physical execution.

What the Hualong One 2.0 Brings

The Hualong One, also known as the HPR1000, is a Generation III reactor design that entered commercial operation in 2021 at the Fuqing plant in Fujian province. Each unit typically delivers around 1,170 megawatts of electric power and incorporates both active and passive safety systems, complying with the highest international standards. The 2.0 version represents a design evolution intended to enhance safety, efficiency, and constructability, building on operational feedback from the first wave of Hualong One units already in service.

Designating the Jinqimen phase-two reactors as “demonstration” units underscores their role in validating the new design before wider deployment across China’s ambitious nuclear new-build programme. Once completed, these units will provide crucial operational data to fine-tune the 2.0 blueprint for future domestic projects and potentially for export markets where CNNC has actively marketed the original Hualong One.

China’s Expanding Nuclear Fleet

The Jinqimen site in Zhejiang, a province on China’s eastern seaboard with significant electricity demand, is set to become a nuclear hub. Although details about the first phase of the plant are limited in the latest disclosures, the emphasis on phase two featuring upgraded demonstration reactors highlights Beijing’s strategy of rapidly iterating on its homegrown technology. China currently operates over 50 nuclear reactors and has more than 20 under construction, making it the world’s most active builder of new nuclear capacity.

The push aligns with the country’s twin goals of energy security and carbon neutrality, aiming to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2060. Nuclear power is a cornerstone of that plan, with the Hualong One series positioned as the standardised workhorse for both domestic construction and international partnerships in countries such as Pakistan and Argentina.

While the start of site levelling is an early-stage milestone, it confirms that CNNC is moving ahead with the Jinqimen phase two as a priority project. Full construction, which involves the first concrete pour for the reactor basemat, will be the next major indicator of the programme’s momentum. For now, the ground preparation work represents the tangible beginning of China’s next chapter in homegrown nuclear innovation.