The inner safety dome was successfully installed at Unit 1 of the Shidaowon nuclear reactor in China’s Shandong province, marking an important milestone as the project transitions from the civil construction phase to the equipment installation phase. 

The Shidaowon nuclear is home to the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM). The demonstration consists of two small reactors that drive a 210 MWe turbine and test the potential of next-generation nuclear reactors. While this is in the works, China is also building large-scale reactors to meet its energy demands in the near future. 

In addition to building some of the world’s largest renewable energy plants, China is also investing heavily in large-scale nuclear reactors to meet its energy requirements in a carbon-free manner.

One of the many such sites under development in China is Shidaowon, which, when completed, will have an installed capacity of 4.8 GWe. 

Hualong One reactor

China’s State Council approved the construction of two units at Shidaowon in July 2023, and concrete for Unit 1 was poured a year later in July 2024. China Huaneng plans to build four Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the site. 

The Hualong One reactor design features a double-layered containment building, primarily to ensure integrity and prevent the release of radioactive material outside the structure. Part of the structure is the inner dome, a hyperboloid structure composed of 70 wall panels. 

The structure, weighing 227.9 tonnes, was hoisted and placed atop the containment walls earlier this week, marking the completion of the reactor’s construction phase. China Huaneng plans to construct four Hualong One reactors at the site in two phases. 

Reactors at Shidaowon

“Once all four units are completed and put into operation, the base will generate 35 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of 17 million three-person households,” China Huaneng said in a press release. 

“This is equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by 11.5 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by 27.6 million tonnes annually.” These numbers are significant, given that China still relies heavily on coal for both industrial and domestic energy needs. As it looks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, nuclear energy is expected to play a major role in its efforts. 

The Hualong One reactors at Shidaowon are expected to be connected to the grid by 2029. The first Hualong One reactor entered service in 2021 as Unit 5 of the Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant.

It has a 177 assembly core design with an 18-month refueling cycle and generates 1170 gross MWe output. Each reactor has a scheduled life of 60 years, and intellectual property rights are fully held in China. 

The Shidaowon site also has two Guohe One demonstration reactors. These are CAP1400 reactors, enlarged versions of the CAP1000 pressurized water nuclear reactors developed in collaboration with US-based Westinghouse.

The CAP1000 is one of the reactors China plans to deploy widely, while also exporting it to other countries interested in building nuclear energy assets. 

In addition to providing countries with easy ways to switch to renewable energy, China will now also help them switch to nuclear power without high input costs.