China Officially Promotes Hualong One 2.0, Its Third-Generation Plus Nuclear Power Technology, to the Global Market

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 7, CGN's 2026 Sustainable Development Conference was held in Shenzhen. At the conference, it was announced that nine key safety indicators of the Hualong One 2.0 third-generation plus nuclear power technology have been improved, the number of cabinets in the new-generation "FirmSys" system has been reduced by approximately 40%, and the world's first 8.6-meter-aperture solar thermal collector, "Yuanyao No.1," can achieve a photoelectric efficiency of 17%. CGN officially released the "2025 CGN Sustainable Development Report," and its global responsibility brand, the "CGN Firefly Plan," was simultaneously launched.

With the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting drawing near, Shenzhen is becoming the focus of Asia-Pacific attention. On September 7, CGN, headquartered in Shenzhen, held a sustainable development conference themed "Green Energy Shining Across Mountains and Seas, Joining Hands to Create the Future," showcasing China's clean energy development landscape and the latest progress of its "going global" initiatives to think tanks, media, and other guests from APEC member economies and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Automation Ratio of China's Third-Generation Plus Nuclear Power Units Increased by 66%

In 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China established the fundamental national policy of reform and opening up. Comrade Deng Xiaoping personally decided to introduce two million-kilowatt-class nuclear power units from France. These two nuclear power plants were ultimately built on the shores of Daya Bay in Shenzhen, marking the launch of China's first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant—Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station—and the beginning of CGN.

CGN's Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base in Guangdong

At the conference, Daya Bay Nuclear Power, a "local star" of Shenzhen, officially made its debut as a corporate brand. From a localization rate of less than 1% at Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station to 64% at Ling'ao Phase II, and the formation of China's independent nuclear power brand CPR1000, Daya Bay Nuclear Power, as a microcosm of China's nuclear power development, has charted a path of leapfrog progress through "introduction, digestion, absorption, and re-innovation." The base has accumulated over 144 reactor-years of safe operation, with cumulative grid-connected electricity exceeding 1 trillion kWh. It has continuously supplied power to Hong Kong for 32 years, delivering over 330 billion kWh, accounting for one-quarter of Hong Kong's total electricity consumption. Over the past decades, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base has achieved highly reliable operational performance, with Unit 1 of Ling'ao Nuclear Power Station operating safely and stably for over 7,200 consecutive days, continuously setting records for safe operation among similar nuclear power units worldwide.

Leveraging the innovative talent, resources, and nuclear power construction and operation experience accumulated through CPR1000 projects, CGN successfully developed Hualong One, China's third-generation nuclear power technology with independent intellectual property rights, competing on par with mainstream international nuclear power technologies. To date, 10 Hualong One units are in commercial operation both domestically and internationally, with another 37 units approved and under construction, firmly ranking first globally in the number of third-generation nuclear power units. Its maturity has been verified through large-scale, batch construction and operation.

On this basis, CGN, together with industry partners, completed nearly a hundred design optimizations and iteratively launched the Hualong One 2.0 third-generation plus advanced nuclear power technology. On July 31, the State Council executive meeting approved 8 nuclear power units, with CGN's Guangdong Taipingling Nuclear Power Phase III designated as the Hualong One 2.0 demonstration project. Currently, procurement contracts for main equipment such as steam generators for this project are being signed successively, and preliminary production preparations are progressing steadily.

As the most significant technology release at this conference, Hualong One 2.0 was presented to the global market for the first time. Niu Wenhua, chief expert of Hualong One 2.0, stated during the presentation: "This is not a brand-new technology developed from scratch, but a systematic quality and efficiency enhancement of mature designs, achieving comprehensive upgrades across five dimensions: safety, construction schedule, cost, operation and maintenance, and environmental protection."

Design rendering of Hualong One 2.0

Niu Wenhua stated that Hualong One 2.0, building on the original defense-in-depth safety system, has comprehensively optimized 14 safety features, with 9 key safety indicators significantly improved, enabling operators to refrain from intervention for 72 hours after an accident and achieving 7-day accident autonomy. The auxiliary system configuration has been fully simplified, with piping length reduced by approximately 31%, process valves reduced by about 25%, nuclear island building volume reduced by 21%, and nuclear island installation volume reduced by approximately 33%. The automation ratio of unit operations has increased by 66%, with more precise system regulation and faster response, and key equipment has achieved 100% localization capability.

"Since its inception, CGN has inherently carried the genes of openness and innovation," said Pang Songtao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of China General Nuclear Power Group. He explained that after more than four decades of development, CGN's business has expanded from nuclear energy to a "6+1" industrial portfolio covering nuclear fuel, new energy, nuclear technology applications, and digital technology, with total installed capacity of clean energy exceeding 110 million kilowatts and cumulative grid-connected electricity surpassing 3.8 trillion kWh, with operations spanning 21 countries and regions worldwide.

New-Generation "FirmSys" System Achieves Approximately 50% Reduction in I&C Operation and Maintenance Workload

At the conference, in addition to Hualong One 2.0, CGN also showcased a range of cutting-edge scientific and technological innovations.

Concentrated solar power (CSP) collects heat from sunlight, functioning like a "giant thermal power bank." It combines the dual functions of power generation and energy storage, enabling 24-hour continuous and stable power supply with excellent peak-shaving, frequency regulation, and voltage stabilization capabilities. CGN's independently developed "Yuanyao No.1," the world's first 8.6-meter-aperture molten salt parabolic trough solar collector, features a single-loop collector area of 5,970 square meters, equivalent to 14 basketball courts. Compared to traditional 5.7-meter-aperture products, its collector area has increased by approximately 83%, land footprint reduced by 19%, and operating temperature range raised by 172 degrees Celsius. As verified by a third-party CNAS-accredited institution, the collector's design-point solar-to-thermal efficiency exceeds 70%. As the large-scale application project of "Yuanyao No.1," CGN's Golmud 350,000-kilowatt CSP project officially commenced construction in June this year, expected to drive continuous technological upgrades and capacity expansion across hundreds of upstream and downstream industry chain enterprises involved in reflectors, receiver tubes, molten salt pumps and valves, and high-temperature-resistant materials. It is reported that CGN currently has 900,000 kilowatts of CSP projects in operation and under construction, ranking first in China.

CGN's "Yuanyao No.1" molten salt parabolic trough solar collector

Cancer treatment has long been a global challenge. Proton therapy is one of the most advanced and mature radiotherapy technologies in the world today, capable of releasing particle energy only upon entering tumor cells, achieving "precision strikes" on cancer cells. CGN's Hezhi proton therapy system, whose homologous products have served over 170,000 patients globally, features industry-leading technologies including the smallest 3mm beam spot size and 360° full-range rotating gantry. A single accelerator can be configured with 1 to 5 treatment rooms as needed, with a design service life exceeding 25 years, allowing phased expansion based on hospital requirements and effectively lowering the investment threshold for proton centers. Currently, CGN has established a manufacturing base in Sichuan with full machine manufacturing capabilities, with multiple systems already produced, and has formed an innovation consortium with over 70 industry chain partners. In August this year, CGN launched joint research on proton arc therapy and adaptive therapy with West China Hospital of Sichuan University, advancing proton therapy toward greater intelligence and precision.

CGN Hezhi proton therapy system

The "FirmSys" system is China's first independently developed nuclear-grade digital instrumentation and control (I&C) system, known as the "neural center" and "brain" of nuclear power plants. It senses, monitors, and issues commands for hundreds of systems, tens of thousands of devices, and 26,000 signals within a nuclear power plant, and can ensure safe reactor shutdown in critical situations. CGN continues to advance the iterative upgrade of the "FirmSys" system. The new-generation "FirmSys" integrates intelligent models such as knowledge graphs, reducing operators' average daily operations by approximately 30% and I&C operation and maintenance workload by about 50%. The number of cabinets per nuclear power unit can be reduced by approximately 40%—for example, with Hualong One, the cabinet count decreases from 351 to about 200. To date, the "FirmSys" system has been applied to 34 nuclear power units in operation and under construction, achieving full coverage of reactor types from Generation II to Generation IV. The "FirmSys family" product matrix has also expanded to applications in nuclear security, wind power control, and CSP control across multiple industries.

Nuclear-grade digital I&C system — FirmSys

Global Responsibility Brand "Firefly Plan" Officially Unveiled

At the conference, five young people from different countries took the stage to share their stories of connection with CGN.

Jason from Namibia came from a humble background, one of 11 siblings, with 12 people once living crammed into a small house for two years. In his junior year of university, his family could no longer afford his tuition. Just as he thought his dream of a college education was about to end, CGN Uranium Resources Swakop Uranium, the company building Husab Mine—the world's third-largest uranium mine—provided a full scholarship that allowed him to complete his studies. Today, through hard work and dedication, he has transitioned from a technical role to a management position at Swakop Uranium. He said: "Swakop Uranium rewrote my life, and I am willing to devote all my strength to being part of this mine's story."

Cristiele, a Brazilian woman born in a small inland city in southern Brazil, started working as a store clerk at 16 and joined CGN at 22, rising from junior administrative assistant to operations and maintenance administrative analyst. Just as she was steadily advancing on her career path, her mother-in-law and father were both diagnosed with cancer, forcing her to temporarily leave her position. Upon returning to CGN, she was assigned to participate in wind farm construction in Piauí State, 2,500 kilometers from home. During that time, her 82-year-old grandmother took her first flight to visit her and see firsthand where she worked. "What CGN has given me is more than just a job," she said. "It has shown me that a truly caring company values not only employees' professional identities but also understands that we are first and foremost ordinary people."

Khamphay Souphathong, a young man from Laos, tentatively applied to join CGN Laos in early 2024, participating in the 1-million-kilowatt photovoltaic project of Phase I of the Northern Laos Interconnection Clean Energy Base, starting as a project coordinator. He quickly noticed that this Chinese company was different—while the project was still under construction, it had already drilled deep water wells for three water-scarce villages, installed 217 solar streetlights, and paved village access roads. The company also established "Egret Classes" to teach local youth Chinese and new energy skills, with top performers eligible to join CGN as new energy engineers. These efforts gradually changed local perceptions of foreign investment. Khamphay noted that after Phase I was completed, villages became brighter, roads improved, and children had breakfast. He has now grown into a key member of CGN's Laos Phase II project: "Oudomxay Province has transformed from a 'place people just passed through' to a place more and more people know about—and CGN has played a part in that change."

Malaysian engineer Wan Afif, a former recipient of CGN's Edra scholarship, has now grown into an engineer and witnessed firsthand how the Kedah photovoltaic project transformed once-barren land into a "Solar Village." French employee Paul, who has worked at CGN Europe Energy for six years, serves as a SCADA technical coordinator and a local volunteer firefighter. He has witnessed how, through initiatives like "CGN OPEN DAY" and joint emergency drills, CGN has forged increasingly close ties with the local community, becoming not just an outside investor but a partner with whom people can communicate directly and collaborate.

"Responsibility is the warmth of a brand," said Li Li, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of China General Nuclear Power Group. She cited a series of figures: CGN has cumulatively supplied over 370 billion kWh of clean electricity overseas; the Laos project provided nearly 3,000 local jobs during peak construction, engaging over 70 industry chain enterprises and earning the reputation among locals as "the project that brings light"; Husab Mine has achieved a 96% local employment rate, with local procurement exceeding 30 billion Namibian dollars and tax payments surpassing 2 billion Namibian dollars over the past decade; and Malaysia's Edra education support program has benefited 30,000 students.

At the conference, CGN officially launched its global responsibility brand, the "CGN Firefly Plan," consolidating community-benefit initiatives tailored to local conditions across overseas project sites into a systematic, replicable global public welfare brand.

Scene from CGN's 2026 Sustainable Development Conference

"CGN's sustainable development story is a sincere practice and vivid portrayal of Chinese enterprises joining hands with global partners for shared progress and a shared future," said Zhang Xiaosong, Deputy Director of the Social Responsibility Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. He expressed his expectation that CGN will forge its brand with cutting-edge technology, highlight its commitment with green development, and integrate into the world through win-win cooperation, enabling the world to understand China's responsibility and feel China's warmth through Chinese brands.