🚀 Hold onto your lab coats, folks! The world’s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant just got a major upgrade in Shandong Province. The Shidaowan high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is expanding with a cutting-edge twist: blending 4th-gen and 3rd-gen tech for cleaner, safer energy. 💡
Developed entirely with China’s independent intellectual property, this project teams up giants like China Huaneng Group and Tsinghua University. The expansion adds two Hualong One reactors — China’s homegrown 3rd-gen pressurized water reactors — set to supercharge output. Each unit packs a 1.2 million-kilowatt punch! ⚡
Why does this matter? When completed, the plant will generate 20 billion kilowatt-hours annually — enough to power a small city — while expanding heating access for 600,000 locals. ❄️→🔥 Talk about a glow-up!
Zhang Aijun, a lead developer, shared with CMG: \"This hybrid model shows how innovation can meet sustainability.\" With zero coal and reduced emissions, Shidaowan could be a blueprint for the global energy transition. 🌱
