HONG KONG, July 15. /TASS/. China has completed the construction of the core for the world's first commercial multi-purpose small modular pressurized water reactor Linglong One (also known as ACP100). This was reported on Friday by the South China Morning Post newspaper.
The construction of the demonstration reactor of the series began at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in Hainan Province on July 13, 2021. It is expected to be completed by 2026.
The reactor is capable of generating about 1 billion kWh of electricity per year, which will be enough to supply 526,000 households. It can be used for heating, cooling, steam production for industrial enterprises, in water desalination, as well as in high-viscosity oil extraction projects and other purposes.
The newspaper notes that a total of 70 types of commercial small modular reactors are currently under development worldwide.
Linglong One is a pressurized water reactor and has a capacity of 125 MW. It was developed by CNNC based on the Hualong One reactor (ACP1000). Linglong One was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2016 and was the first such small modular reactor in the world.
Small modular reactors are cheaper than conventional reactors, and their construction requires much less time. Their smaller size allows them to be delivered ready-made to remote and inaccessible areas and to start operating relatively quickly. In addition, they can be used in floating NPPs.