China approves eight new nuclear reactors in $25 billion expansion

The Chinese State Council has authorized the construction of eight new nuclear reactors across four projects in the provinces of Zhejiang, Guangdong, Liaoning and Shandong. The total investment exceeds 160 billion yuan (about US$20‑25 billion). Six of the reactors will use the domestically developed Hualong One pressurised‑water design, with the Jinqimen II and Taipingling III units serving as demonstration plants for the upgraded Hualong One 2.0 model that offers enhanced passive safety and higher output. The remaining two reactors at the Laiyang site will employ the Guohe One design, another third‑generation Chinese reactor. Each unit will generate roughly 1.2‑1.5 GW, adding tens of billions of kilowatt‑hours of low‑carbon electricity annually and further cementing China’s position as the world’s largest nuclear power operator. The expansion aligns with Beijing’s broader energy strategy to boost nuclear capacity, improve energy security, and meet its carbon‑peak‑by‑2030 and carbon‑neutrality‑by‑2060 targets.