Unit 1 of China’s Taipingling NPP in Guangdong province has achieved first criticality after start-up permission was granted by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China General Nuclear Corporation (CGN) said. The 1,116 MWe pressurised water reactor is the first of six Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors planned for construction at the site.
Construction of the units 1&2 (Phase 1) began in 2019 and 2020. Construction of Phase 2 (units&4) was approved by the State Council in December 2023 and construction of unit 3 began in June 2025.
Hot tests at 1 were completed at unit 1 in September 2024 and at unit 2 in July 2025. Unit 1 received an operating licence from the Ministry of Ecology & Environment on 24 December 2025 and loading of the first fuel assemblies began the same day after approval from China’s National Nuclear Security Administration. A total of 177 fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor core.
The power unit will be put into commercial operation after completing of a series of commissioning and acceptance tests, including a test run lasting 168 hours.
