China Nuclear Power Corporation (CNNC) announced that Unit 2 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in Fujian province has entered commercial operation, marking a key milestone in the country’s nuclear expansion.
The 1126 MWe pressurized water reactor, domestically designed under the Hualong One (HPR1000) program, completed comprehensive commissioning tests, including a continuous 168-hour trial run.
The reactor reached first criticality on 3 November 2025 and was connected to the grid on 22 November, following nuclear fuel loading that began on 11 October. Unit 2 joins Zhangzhou 1, which entered commercial operation on 1 January 2025, forming the first phase of the six-unit plant. Once fully operational, the site is expected to generate over 60 billion kilowatt-hours annually, meeting approximately 75 percent of the electricity demand for Xiamen and Zhangzhou cities.
Construction for the units began after the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued licenses on 9 October 2019. CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, owned by CNNC (51 percent) and China Guodian Corporation (49 percent), has overseen the project since its establishment in 2011. Unit 1 construction started immediately after licensing, with Unit 2 following in September 2020.
The commercial start of Zhangzhou 2 increases CNNC’s operating nuclear fleet to 27 units, raising its total installed capacity from 25,000 MWe to 26,212 MWe. CNNC highlighted that the addition of Unit 2 contributes to optimizing China’s energy structure and supports the country’s “dual carbon” objectives, reducing reliance on fossil fuels while expanding clean energy capacity.
The Zhangzhou project demonstrates the accelerated deployment of domestic nuclear technology, with the Hualong One design forming the backbone of China’s mid- to long-term nuclear strategy. The remaining four units are planned to come online in phases, further solidifying nuclear power’s role in southern Fujian’s electricity supply and advancing national decarbonization targets.
