Fuel assemblies have been loaded for the first time at unit 2 of China’s Taipingling NPP in Guangdong Province and unit 3 of Changjiang NPP in Hainan Province both with Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors.
At Taipingling 2 177 fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor core after China’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) issued a 40-year operating licence for the unit.
“Completion of the first fuel load at unit 2 marks the successful transition of the unit from the construction phase to the commissioning phase and represents a decisive step towards completing the first phase of the project,” China General Nuclear (CGN) said.
The Taipingling project is planned to house a total of six Hualong One units. Once all six are completed, the plant is expected to generate more than 55 TWh a year. This will be equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by around 16.65m tonnes and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by about 50.82m tonnes annually.
Taipingling 1&2 comprise Phase 1 of the project. Taipingling 1 received an operating licence from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in December 2025 the unit was connected to the grid in February and began commercial operation in March. Construction Phase 2 (units 3&4) was approved by China’s State Council in December 2023, and construction of unit 3 began in June 2025. Preparatory work for Phase III ( units 5&6) is beginning.
“Based on the successful experience of building and commissioning unit 1, the team further optimised construction technologies and management processes, successfully completed hot testing of unit 2 and implemented a range of digital applications including digital delivery, digital transformation of spare parts and exoskeleton robots,” CGN noted.
Meanwhile, 177 fuel assemblies have also been loaded at Changjiang 3. China Huaneng said this “marks a decisive step towards the subsequent nuclear launch of the unit and its connection to the network”.
Changjiang 3&4, both with Hualong One reactors, are planned to be fully operational in early 2027. First concrete was poured for the base slab of unit 3’s nuclear island in March 2021, and for unit 4 the following December. Cold hydraulic tests were completed at unit 3 in April followed by hot functional tests.
Changjiang Phase II (units 3&4) involved estimated investment of CNY40bn ($6.4bn), according to China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share in the project. China National Nuclear Corporation holds the remaining 49%. The construction period is expected to be 60 months. Both units should be fully operational in early 2027.
The site is already home to two operating CNP-600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) – Changjiang 1&2 – which entered commercial operation in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, CNNC also began construction of a demonstration ACP100 small modular reactor (Linglong One) at the site.
