The second unit of the Taipingling nuclear project, located in China’s Guangdong province, has entered commercial operation as of August 3, 2026. The announcement was made by China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), China’s largest nuclear operator by installed capacity. With this milestone, the project’s first phase is now complete.
The first unit had begun operation in April 2026. Together, both units are expected to generate more than 18 billion kilowatt-hours per year — enough to power nearly two million people. The plant is situated in the Huidong district of Huizhou city, roughly 150 kilometres from both Hong Kong and Macao, making it the first operational Hualong One facility in the entire Greater Bay Area, China’s most dynamic economic and industrial hub. The first unit alone incorporated 26 major design upgrades over previous reactor versions, with more than 8,300 practical improvements implemented during construction.
Hualong One is a third-generation reactor developed entirely in China. Its origins trace back to parallel programmes launched by CGN and the China National Nuclear Corporation, which eventually merged into a single nationally certified design. Construction of Taipingling’s second unit began in October 2020, following government approval granted in April 2019. Grid connection took place on July 4, after which the unit completed a standard full-load testing cycle before receiving authorisation for commercial operation.
This commissioning comes amid China’s rapid and sustained nuclear expansion. By the end of 2025, the country counted 112 nuclear units either operational, under construction, or approved. During the 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026–2030, the number of reactors in commercial operation is expected to surpass 100. CGN alone currently operates 29 units with a total installed capacity of 33.04 gigawatts, with another 19 units under construction — 17 of which are based on Hualong One technology.
The Taipingling project is planned to host a total of six Hualong One units across three phases. Once fully complete, the plant will produce more than 55 billion kilowatt-hours annually, displacing approximately 16.65 million tonnes of standard coal and avoiding around 50.82 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. Construction of the fourth unit is already underway, having broken ground in May 2026. The trajectory of China’s nuclear programme leaves little doubt about the region’s energy future over the next two decades: Taipingling is not an exception — it is the new standard.
