Aerial photo taken on Aug. 31, 2020 shows a panoramic view of Fuqing project in the city of Fuqing, southeast China's Fujian Province. Fuel loading started Friday at China's first nuclear power unit using Hualong One technology, bringing the unit one step closer to operation. Photo: Xinhua

China's Hualong One demonstration project was officially put into full commercial operation in East China's Fujian Province on Friday, with the completion of Unit 6 at the Fuqing nuclear power plant, said China National Nuclear Cooperation (CNNC).

This marks a major achievement for China's nuclear power development while signaling that the country's nuclear power technology and comprehensive strength has reached the international level. It is also a key way to achieve China's environmental targets.

Hualong One is CNNC's third-generation pressurized water nuclear reactor with full intellectual property rights and also one of the most widely accepted third-generation nuclear power reactors in the current market.

Developed and designed based on more than 30 years of experience in nuclear power research and management, the Hualong One reactor uses a 177-core design while meeting the highest international safety standards and being capable of mass production.

Unit 5 at the Fuqing nuclear power plant was connected to the grid last year, and now that Unit 6 is fully operational, the two units will generate approximately 20 billion kWh of electricity per year. For a standard thermal power plant to produce the same, it would consume 6.24 million tons of coal and produce 16.32 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This is also the equivalent of planting more than 140 million trees.

The project is a landmark achievement in CNNC's commitment to safe and innovative development as well as progress toward reaching the nation's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. It will also help to guarantee energy security.

China's top economic planner the National Development and Reform Commission on Tuesday issued the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for modern energy systems, highlighting clear targets for annual energy supply capacity to enhance the country's energy independence. Nuclear power will play a key role as the country goes greener.

Explicit targets have been drawn for promoting the active development of nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner, with the aim of achieving nuclear power installed capacity of about 70 million kilowatts by 2025, according to the plan.

Hualong One has also driven the development of more than 5,300 enterprises in the upstream and downstream industry chains, bringing economic benefits and opportunities for the transformation and upgrading of China's high-end equipment manufacturing industry.