In 2026, China commissioned at least seven new nuclear reactors, all based on Hualong One technology — the third-generation reactor jointly developed by CNNC and CGN. This marks the largest single-year domestic nuclear expansion ever recorded. The numbers speak for themselves: Beijing shows no signs of slowing down.
The first to enter commercial operation was Taipingling Unit 1, rated at 1,116 MWe, in April. Its sister unit followed in August, completing fuel loading and connecting to the grid. Meanwhile, at the Zhangzhou plant, the second Hualong One unit began commercial operations on January 1, 2026 — exactly one year after the first. In Hainan, the Changjiang-3 reactor achieved grid connection in August and commenced commercial operation in September. In the Greater Bay Area, the first Hualong One unit at Huizhou entered service on April 20, generating over 9 billion kilowatt-hours per year — enough to power approximately one million households.
The Taipingling plant is emblematic of China’s long-term vision. It is designed to host six Hualong One units across three phases. Once complete, it will produce more than 55 billion kilowatt-hours annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 50 million tonnes per year. This is not a distant goal: Units 3 and 4 are already under construction, with work on Unit 3 beginning in June 2025 and Unit 4 in May 2026.
In August 2026, the State Council approved the construction of eight new nuclear units across the provinces of Zhejiang, Guangdong, Liaoning, and Shandong. Four of these will, for the first time, deploy the upgraded Hualong One 2.0 design, according to China General Nuclear. The sites involved include Jinqimen, Taipingling, and Zhuanghe. For the latter, Phase I entails a total investment of approximately 44.6 billion yuan for two units of 1,116 MWe each, with main construction expected to begin in June 2027 and commercial operation targeted for 2031.
Driving this acceleration is a clear industrial strategy. China is targeting 200 GW of installed nuclear capacity by 2040 — an ambition that requires sustaining an unprecedented construction pace for at least fifteen years. The 2026 pipeline also includes CAP1400 and VVER-1200 reactors, as well as the ACP100 small modular reactor, reflecting a technological diversification already well underway. China’s nuclear programme is no longer an experimental venture: it is a mature industrial supply chain, with fully domestic design, construction, and component manufacturing capabilities. The growing demand for nuclear-qualified valves, pumps, and instrumentation — a segment in which several Chinese manufacturers have established themselves on projects such as Hualong — is a direct reflection of this maturity. The rest of the world is watching, and many are trying to figure out how to get a seat at the table.
