goingcritical:taipingling-1China · Power reactor

Taipingling-1

Status: Operating critical since February 3, 2026 Reactor status full glossary → Announced Publicly announced — a site and design are proposed, but construction has not begun. Site preparation Early site and civil works are under way; the first safety-related ("nuclear") concrete has not yet been poured. Under construction Formal construction has begun, marked by the first nuclear concrete. Fuel loaded Nuclear fuel has been loaded into the core. The reactor is fuelled but has not yet gone critical. Critical Has reached first criticality — a self-sustaining chain reaction, usually at low power — but is not yet connected to the grid. Grid connected Synchronised to the electrical grid and exporting power for the first time, but still in commissioning and power-ascension testing — not yet in commercial service. Operating In commercial operation — the operator has formally declared the unit in regular commercial service. Shut down Permanently shut down and no longer generating; may be defuelled, undergoing decommissioning, or preserved in place. Canceled Abandoned before completion.

Developer: CGN

Site: Huizhou, Guangdong

LaosShenzhenTaipeiHechiXiangtanShangraoHaikouGanzhou
Huizhou, Guangdong22.6954° N, 114.9789° E
Summary:

First of six planned Hualong One units at Taipingling and the first Hualong One to enter operation in the Greater Bay Area

Details

DesignHPR-1000 (Hualong One)
Electrical output1,116 MWe

Milestone history

  1. Announced —
  2. Construction start December 26, 2019
  3. Fuel load December 24, 2025
  4. First criticality February 3, 2026
  5. Grid connection February 13, 2026
  6. Commercial operation April 19, 2026

References

  1. IAEA PRIS, Taipingling-1
  2. WNN, Fuel loading under way at new Chinese units (24 December 2025)
  3. WNN, First unit at China's Taipingling plant starts up
  4. WNN, Taipingling 1 connected to the grid
  5. WNN, First Taipingling unit enters commercial operation