China's major nuclear power plant surpasses 1 trillion kWh in grid power generation

China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) on Tuesday said that the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant has generated over 1 trillion kilowatt-hours of grid power, becoming a key contributor to the country's clean energy supply.

According to CGN, the cumulative electricity produced by the facility, which comprises six reactors, has prevented the consumption of over 300 million tonnes of standard coal and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 820 million tonnes -- equivalent to the environmental benefits of afforesting approximately 2.25 million hectares of land.

Commissioned in 1994 in South China's Shenzhen, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant was the first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant on the Chinese mainland. Subsequent expansions of the plant brought the site's total installed capacity to more than 6 gigawatts, making it one of the largest pressurized water reactor clusters globally.

"The plant has operated safely for 31 years. We have implemented nearly 200 technical upgrades and over 50 innovations, significantly enhancing the reactors' nuclear safety, digitalization and reliability," said He Liuyi, general manager of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Co., Ltd.

CGN noted that the site is embracing artificial intelligence technologies to accelerate innovation and foster new productivity, integrating AI applications more deeply into nuclear operations.

China's total nuclear power generation capacity -- including units in operation, under construction or officially approved -- ranks first in the world, according to the China Energy Research Society.