Core of 'world-first' modular reactor in place

The core module of the Linglong One small modular reactor was installed in Changjiang, Hainan province, on Thursday, marking a significant step in the construction of the world's first onshore commercial modular pressurized water reactor.

China Nuclear Power Investment Co, a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation, announced the progress in a statement, saying that it was the "debut" of modular manufacturing and installation of nuclear reactors and it marked as China being among the forerunners in the construction of small modular nuclear reactors.

The core module, dubbed the "Heart of Linglong", integrates the reactor pressure vessel, the steam generator and the main pump, and has been entirely designed and manufactured by Chinese companies. The preassembling of the steam generator within the pressure vessel demonstrates the cutting-edge technology used in the manufacturing of nuclear reactor components, the CNNC said.

More than 80 types of technologies are in development worldwide for small modular reactors, the company said, citing statistics from the International Atomic Energy Agency. It added that the Linglong One is the world's first small modular pressurized water reactor that has passed safety assessments by the IAEA.

The project, which began construction on July 13, 2021, is expected to generate 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and power 526,000 households while reducing 880,000 metric tons of potential carbon dioxide emissions, the company said.