en.Wedoany.com Reported - On March 31, 2026, the first steel liner module for the containment vessel of Unit 1 in the first phase of the Jiangsu Xuwu Nuclear Heating and Power Plant in China was precisely positioned, marking the full-scale commencement of main construction for the nuclear island. As China's first large-scale integrated nuclear energy project for both heating and power supply, this hoisting operation is not only a key technical milestone in the project's construction but also carries the strategic mission of diversified nuclear energy utilization in China.
The hoisted module was an integrated structure comprising the haunch area and the first section of the cylindrical wall. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), in collaboration with China Nuclear Engineering & Construction (Group) Corporation, China Nuclear Huaxing Construction Co., Ltd., and China Nuclear Industry Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd., utilized a 2000-ton crawler crane as the main hoist. After 1 hour and 48 minutes of steady lifting, rotation, and precise positioning, the module was successfully placed. The steel liner of the containment vessel serves as the third safety barrier of the nuclear island and is the core defense line preventing the release of radioactive materials. Its successful hoisting lays a solid safety foundation for the subsequent construction of the nuclear island.
The Xuwu project has a total investment of 125.8 billion yuan, with the first phase investment being 72 billion yuan. It is the world's first dual-reactor coupling project featuring "Hualong One (third generation) + High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (fourth generation)" and also the world's first large-scale demonstration project coupling nuclear energy with petrochemical industries. Located in the Xuwu New Area of Lianyungang, Jiangsu, one of China's seven national petrochemical bases, the first phase plans for two "Hualong One" pressurized water reactors and one "Chilong One" high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. It innovatively adopts a "heat-led, combined heat and power supply" model. The "Hualong One" reactors produce saturated steam above 270°C for both power generation and basic heating supply. The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor further heats the steam to above 460°C, meeting the demand for high-quality superheated steam in the petrochemical industry. This raises the overall thermal efficiency from the traditional nuclear power plant's 37% to over 42%.
Upon completion, the project's first phase will yield significant benefits: supplying 32.5 million tons of industrial steam annually, generating over 11.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, reducing coal consumption by 7.26 million tons annually, and cutting carbon emissions by 19.6 million tons per year. It will comprehensively replace coal-fired boilers in Lianyungang's trillion-yuan petrochemical base, solving the green transition challenges for high-energy-consuming industries. From receiving State Council approval on August 19, 2024, to the first concrete pouring for the nuclear island on January 16, 2026, and now the successful first hoisting of the steel liner, the project is progressing steadily. It is expected to be fully operational by 2032.
As a benchmark for comprehensive nuclear energy utilization, the Xuwu project breaks the limitation of nuclear power being solely for electricity generation, opening a new track of "nuclear power + industrial heating." It provides low-carbon energy solutions for high-energy-consuming industries like chemicals and metallurgy, contributing Chinese wisdom to the global diversified development of nuclear energy. This successful hoisting is not only a victory for the project's construction but also opens a new chapter in China's nuclear power transformation from a "main power generator" to a "comprehensive energy supplier," injecting strong momentum into the green and low-carbon transition of the energy sector.
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