China begins construction of world’s first commercial modular small reactor

According to China's state-run Global Times, the country has started construction of the world's first commercial modular small reactor on landin south China's Hainan province.

The Chinese newspaper said the project has been launched by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and will have power generation capacity of 125,000 kilowatts and its annual power generation capacity would be 1 billion kilowatt hours capable of serving 526,000 households.

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The report added the small reactor technology has independent intellectual property rights which was developed by CNNC for over ten years and reportedly has high safety and flexible deployment capability.

The Linglong 1 was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) in 2016 after a safety test, it said.

The reactor can use nuclear energy for various functions including power generation and can be used in the mining sector, industrial parks and for high-end consumption industries.

The newspaper quoting CNNC said that the new reactor can greatly reduce the consumption of fossil fuel and help in decreasing carbon emissions.

China has reportedly built 51 nuclear power units with 19 under construction. The Linglong 1 is being built as a demonstration project in Changjiang nuclear power plant paving the way for modular small reactor technology to be taken up on a global scale.

China currently has the world's third-largest park of nuclear reactors after the United States and France and has invested heavily in developing the nuclear energy sector.

Last month a report said French companyFramatome had warned of an "imminent radiological threat" at the Taishan nuclear plant, however, Chinese authorities said radiation levels were normal.

(With inputs from Agencies)