China’s first commercial small modular nuclear reactor (SMR), Linglong-1, is now in the final installation phase. Located in Hainan Province at the Hainan Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. (HNPC) site, the Linglong-1 SMR is being developed by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

According to China’s state-run Global Times, the Linglong-1 being developed by the CNNC is the world’s first land-based SMR to begin construction. It is expected to play a key role in reducing China’s carbon emissions.

The Linglong-1, also known as the ACP100, is a third-generation small, pressurized water reactor. It was fully developed in China and has independent intellectual property rights there. In 2016, the Linglong-1 became the first SMR in the world to pass a safety review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Because of its size and ability to deliver power safely and steadily, the Linglong-1 has been referred to as a ‘nuclear power bank’. The Global Times reported that the reactor is part of China’s fourteenth Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), focusing on advanced nuclear technology.

According to the HNPC, the project is moving ahead as designed. Engineers are carrying out system tests, and preparations are being made for cold functional testing which is an important step before starting full operations.

SMRs like Linglong-1 are different from traditional nuclear power plants. They are smaller, safer, more modular and quicker to build. These reactors use passive safety systems. This means that they can shut down safely without human action or power. Their smaller size allows them to be used in many different locations, including industrial parks, mining areas, and regions that require a lot of energy.

Each Linglong-1 reactor can produce one hundred and twenty-five thousand kilowatts of electricity. That adds up to one billion kilowatt-hours annually, enough to power about five hundred and twenty-six thousand homes or around one million people.

By replacing coal-based power with nuclear energy from Linglong-1, China can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about eight hundred and eighty thousand tons every year. This is equal to planting seven million five hundred thousand trees.

The CNNC says that the Linglong-1 fills a gap in China’s nuclear development and shows that the country can lead in SMR technology. Following the success of Hualong One, a full-size third-generation nuclear reactor, the Linglong-1 is the next step in China’s goal to innovate independently in nuclear energy. The SMR is expected to help power the Hainan Free Trade Port and support clean energy goals in the region.

The Linglong-1 will also help China to meet its national climate targets. These include reaching peak carbon emissions before 2030 and becoming carbon neutral before 2060.

Modular reactors like Linglong-1 could be useful in many countries, especially those who need clean and stable energy sources without the high cost and size of traditional nuclear plants. The smaller design will also make building and operating reactors easier in areas with less infrastructure.

Once completed, Linglong-1 will become a key part of China’s energy system. It will demonstrate how nuclear technology can be used safely and efficiently to fight climate change. It may also assist Chinato become a major exporter of SMR technology in the future.

China National Nuclear Corporation