BEIJING, 29 November 2020, (TON): China has successfully powered up its first new version of nuclear reactor, “The Hualong One”, taking the lead toward low cost, domestically manufactured and sustainable energy security and critical technology.

According to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the reactor, which was connected to the national grid a day earlier, can generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year and cut carbon emissions by 8.16 million tons.

"This marks China breaking the monopoly of foreign nuclear power technology and officially entering the technology's first batch of advanced countries," CNNC said in a statement.

Work on the Hualong One reactor started in 2015 and there are currently six other reactors under construction at home and abroad, CNNC said. It said, the Hualong One, deployed at a plant in east China's Fujian province, will be put into commercial use by the end of the year after undergoing tests. CNNC added, China has 47 nuclear plants with a total generation capacity of 48.75 million kilowatts.