China powers up first domestically-developed nuclear reactor
China has powered up its first domestically-developed nuclear reactor, a significant move that further boosts the country's technological status.
The Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant in the southeast Fujian Province successfully started generating electricity on Friday morning, Chinese media reported.
The reactor, using Hualong One technology, has one of the world's most advanced nuclear power reactor designs.
It has a lifespan of 60 years and meets "the strictest safety standard in the world," according to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
It can also generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year and cut carbon emissions by 8.16 million tons, according to the CNNC.
The power plant's general manager, Zhao Hao, said that the unit would have to undergo a series of tests before the reactor starts commercial operation later this year.
He said that the landmark achievement indicated a great improvement in the competitiveness of China's nuclear power industry.
The European Utility Requirements Organization certified the reactor's design earlier this month.
"This marks China breaking the monopoly of foreign nuclear power technology and officially entering the technology's first batch of advanced countries," said the CNNC.
China kicked off the construction of the new power unit at Fuqing in 2015.
The country has 13 nuclear plants under construction, more than anywhere else in the world.
China has switched from the US nuclear power technology to a domestically-developed alternative as geopolitical uncertainties increase amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington.
The two world powers have been involved in disputes over a range of issues, including trade, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and the coronavirus pandemic.
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