[Salon] China’s vast nuclear power sector now able to build 50 reactors at a time

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China’s vast nuclear power sector now able to build 50 reactors at a time

China has more reactors under construction than the rest of the world combined, as it aims to become a global leader in nuclear power

SCMP

He Huifengin Guangdong

21 Apr 2026

China has announced that it now has the capacity to build up to 50 nuclear reactors simultaneously, as it doubles down on a push to rapidly expand its nuclear power generation and become a global leader in the sector.

The figure came from a report released by the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) on Friday, which highlights the country’s ability to run dozens of nuclear projects concurrently spanning the full project life cycle – from design to construction.

“China’s nuclear technology capabilities have moved from ‘following’ to ‘keeping pace’, and in some areas to ‘leading’,” the report said.

Beijing has moved to rapidly build up its nuclear power sector in recent years as part of a wider effort to cut carbon emissions and reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels – a strategy that has gained renewed urgency amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

China aims to become a “strong country” in nuclear power by 2030, surpassing the United States in terms of total installed nuclear capacity and emerging as the world’s largest nuclear power producer by scale, according to the CNEA.

The country already has 60 nuclear reactors in commercial operation and another 36 under construction, which represents more than half of the total number of reactors currently being built globally, the report shows.

Chinese authorities have also approved 16 reactors for future construction. Once all those projects are completed, China’s installed nuclear power capacity will reach 125 gigawatts (GW), according to the report.

By 2040, China is projected to have 200GW of installed capacity, Yang Changli, rotating chairman of the CNEA, told domestic media outlet chinanews.com.cn.

China’s investment in nuclear power reached 161 billion yuan (US$23.6 billion) in 2025, up 9.6 per cent year on year, according to the CNEA. Construction remains heavily concentrated in coastal provinces, which are the country’s main centres of industrial output and energy demand.

On the technology side, the Hualong One – China’s domestically developed third-generation reactor – has now entered a phase of “serial construction”, according to the report.

Eight Hualong One units are in commercial operation and another 33 have been approved for construction, according to Yang, making it one of the world’s most widely deployed third-generation nuclear reactors.

The Hualong One is a mature third-generation pressurised water nuclear reactor, which is mainly used for electricity generation and as an initial heat source. The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor – a fourth-generation concept that can achieve core outlet temperatures of between 700 and 1,000 degrees Celsius – will help with secondary heating.

Meanwhile, China is working to develop new applications for nuclear power in industrial settings. Pilot projects are reportedly under way using nuclear reactors to supply high-temperature steam for projects in energy-intensive industries such as petrochemicals, replacing coal-fired boilers.

Nuclear power generated 4.82 per cent of China’s total electricity output last year, data from the CNEA showed.

He Huifeng

He Huifeng is an award-winning journalist who has reported on China since 2001. She has gained an in-depth knowledge of political, economic and social issues in mainland