The No.5 nuclear power unit in Fuqing, southeast Fujian province. China’s first nuclear power unit using Hualong One technology, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design, was connected to the grid and started to generate electricity in November last year. Photo: Xinhua
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• Success of nuclear reactor Hualong One suggests it can compete with wind and solar to drive China’s decarbonisation
• With the first Hualong reactor delivered on schedule, the costs have come down, says Xiamen University’s Lin Boqiang
• China has a clear advantage over European rivals in the sector //

China’s uninterrupted construction of nuclear plants over the past three decades and its well-established supply chain mean it has a clear advantage over European firms, which have struggled to re-establish their supply chains after a two-decade hiatus from building reactors. //

Despite the safety and cost concerns, nuclear power’s potential as a clean source of energy with high supply consistency should not be underestimated, said Pan Chin, chair professor of nuclear engineering at City University of Hong Kong. “Of course, cost is an issue. But if we can ensure nuclear power’s safety and reduce nuclear wastes through technology improvement, we can broaden the public’s acceptance of nuclear power and then its cost can be reduced,” he said.