On Feb 18th, construction of Phase I of the Jinqimen nuclear power project in Zhejiang province -- invested and constructed by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) -- was announced to commence. This project marks CNNC's commitment to promoting high-quality development and actively and steadily progressing towards peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.

The Jinqimen nuclear project plans to have six Hualong One nuclear power units, the third-generation nuclear power technology developed by CNNC. It will meet the highest international safety standards and establish a new paradigm for CNNC's development of the nuclear energy industry in Zhejiang province. The commencement of this project will inject new energy into local optimization and transformation of the energy mix.

Currently, the Hualong One is one of the most competitive third-generation nuclear power units in the global nuclear energy industry. Each unit can generate over 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, meeting the demand of one million people in a mid-level developed country. It can reduce 3.12 million tons of coal consumption annually, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tons, which is equivalent to planting more than 70 million trees.

Located in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, the Jinqimen nuclear power project has a total installed capacity of about 7.2 million kilowatts, with an annual on-grid electricity output of about 55 billion kilowatt-hours. This is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 50 million tons. This project will be constructed in phases, with the first phase involving the construction of two million-kilowatt nuclear power units.