On the coast of the Yellow Sea, a world's first comprehensive nuclear energy utilization project is emerging. The first phase of the Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant in Jiangsu has reached a critical milestone, with the announcement of the winning bidder for the installation project of Unit 3's nuclear island. Once again, nuclear enterprises have taken the lead, marking the upcoming comprehensive construction of this demonstration project that integrates the Hualong One and high-temperature gas cooled reactor.

The project has reached a critical milestone

On September 2, 2026, significant progress was made in the first phase of the Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant with a total investment of 71 billion yuan. The bidding candidate for the installation project of the nuclear island and supporting BOP for Unit 3 of the project has been announced, and the engineering unit under CNNC ranks first with a low price. This result indicates that the first phase of the project will soon be fully launched, highlighting the strong strength of China National Nuclear Corporation in the field of nuclear power construction.

The project is located in Xixi Mountain, Xuwei New District, Lianyungang. It is the world's first nuclear energy comprehensive utilization project that integrates Hualong One with high-temperature gas cooled reactors. Two Hualong One and one high-temperature gas cooled reactor unit will be constructed in the first phase, with a total installed capacity of 3076MW and supporting steam heat exchange stations. The project focuses on industrial heating while also considering power generation, providing clean industrial steam for the local petrochemical base. The project was approved in August 2024, with plans to put the first unit into operation by 2030 and complete it entirely by 2031.

Bidding and tendering related situations

This bidding is for the No. 3 high-temperature gas cooled reactor unit, and the construction scope includes various buildings on the nuclear island, as well as BOP supporting projects such as diesel generator buildings, pipe trenches, and pipe galleries. Unit 3 plans to carry out the lifting of pressure vessel modules in August 2028 and complete the cold state test in September 2029, with a total construction period of 396 days and a maximum price limit of 2.07323 billion yuan for the section.

The evaluation will be completed on August 7, 2026, with three companies participating in the bidding. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) ranked second and fifth among the candidates, with a price difference of only 217000 yuan between the two for a two billion level project. Previously, the installation of nuclear islands for Units 1 and 2 was won by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Second and Third, with multiple sister units from CNNC participating in the remaining sections, with a cumulative winning bid amount exceeding 15.3 billion yuan. This time, we have once again won the first place among candidates, which is in line with industry expectations.

Demonstration significance and construction prospects

The Xuwei project realizes the coupling application of two types of reactors, adopting the operation mode of thermal fixed electricity and combined heat and power supply. After completion, it can supply clean steam to petrochemical bases, reduce fossil energy consumption, promote regional carbon reduction, while also considering power generation to improve energy efficiency, providing practical samples for the diversified application of nuclear energy in China.

The candidate announcement for the third unit section marks the basic completion of the bidding for the first phase of core installation, and the project is about to undergo large-scale construction. Chinese nuclear enterprises have won the majority of core bid sections, further strengthening their dominant position in the field of nuclear power construction. By the end of 2026, Unit 3 will reach the FCD milestone, accelerating the progress of this world's first nuclear heating demonstration project and helping China achieve its comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy and dual carbon goals.Editor/Gong Ziwei