China's nuclear power ranks first in the world

According to reports, CNNC actively responded to the "Belt and Road" initiative, implemented the national nuclear power "going out" strategy, promoted the overseas Hualong One project, and formed nuclear power project cooperation intentions with more than 20 countries and regions such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Argentina and Brazil. Hualong One overseas demonstration project - Karachi Nuclear Power Unit 2 in Pakistan has been put into commercial operation, and Unit 3 has generated electricity. Among them, Unit 2 created the shortest construction period of the world's third-generation nuclear power overseas construction, and won the best practice case of international energy cooperation; In 2022, the general contract of Hualong One Argentina nuclear power project was signed.

For China, the active development of nuclear power can effectively drive exports and help steady economic growth. It is predicted that by 2030, the countries along the "Belt and Road" alone will build hundreds of new nuclear power units, a total of 115 million kilowatts of new nuclear power installed capacity. Each export of a nuclear power unit requires more than 60,000 sets of equipment, more than 200 enterprises to participate in manufacturing and construction, can create about 150,000 jobs, a single unit investment of about 30 billion yuan. The construction of Hualong One will drive more than 5,300 enterprises in the upstream and downstream industry chain, bringing huge economic benefits and transformation and upgrading opportunities for China's high-end equipment manufacturing industry.

Usher in greater space for development

Under the strategic goal of reaching the peak of carbon neutrality, China's economy and society have ushered in a broad and profound systemic change, and building a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system has become an important requirement to promote the energy revolution, and it is also an urgent need for the transformation and development of China's economy and society.

The Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and The State Council on Fully, Accurately and Comprehensively Implementing the New Development Concepts and Doing a good Job of Carbon Peaking and carbon Neutrality put forward that nuclear power should be actively, safely and orderly developed. The "Action Plan for Carbon Peak before 2030" also requires reasonable determination of the layout and development timing of nuclear power plants, orderly development of nuclear power under the premise of ensuring safety, and maintain a steady pace of construction.

At present, China's coal consumption accounts for a relatively high proportion, the stability of renewable energy is weak, which brings great challenges to the adjustment of energy structure. Experts said that nuclear energy generates electricity in a safe, efficient and clean way, operates stably and reliably, and provides a realistic option for tackling global climate change.

Taking Hualong One as an example, after the completion of the Hualong One demonstration project, the two units will have an annual power generation capacity of nearly 20 billion KWH, which is equivalent to reducing the consumption of standard coal by 6.24 million tons per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 16.32 million tons, and equivalent to afforestation by 140 million trees, with significant economic, social and environmental effects. It is of great significance to optimize China's energy structure, promote green and low-carbon development, and help achieve the goal of peaking carbon neutrality.

In this regard, Chen Hesheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy has a very important strategic significance for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and is a key field for the country to achieve sustainable development energy strategy, and it is necessary to formulate scientific plans, increase investment, and strive to promote scientific research and industrialization in related fields. On the one hand, continue to vigorously develop a new generation of nuclear power technology, constantly improve safety, reduce emissions; On the other hand, nuclear energy is used for heating. With the development of technology, especially the gradual maturity of the fourth-generation nuclear energy system technology, nuclear heating and seawater desalination will play a greater role in the sustainable development of energy and water security.

In the context of the "dual carbon" goal, nuclear power has become an important option for energy transformation, and governments at all levels have increased their attention and investment in nuclear energy. In the "Government Work Report" of Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and other provinces this year, nuclear power is listed as the focus of work in 2022, and China's nuclear energy development will usher in greater space for development.