The world’s first large-scale integrated project combining nuclear energy and the petrochemical industry has commenced construction in Xuwéi, Jiangsu

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On January 16, a major breakthrough was achieved in the field of comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy in China: concrete pouring began for the nuclear island of Unit 1 at the Jiangsu Xuwéi Nuclear Heat and Power Plant, which is owned by China National Nuclear Power Group. This marks the entry of the world’s first large-scale project integrating nuclear energy with the petrochemical industry into the phase of main structure construction. The Xuwéi Nuclear Heat and Power Plant in Jiangsu is the world’s first project to combine pressurized water reactors with high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, the world’s first project to promote the commercial use of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and also the world’s first nuclear power project to be constructed on an integrated basis under a turnkey nuclear power contract model. The project is a nuclear power plant that primarily provides industrial heating while also generating electricity. It utilizes a combination of China’s third-generation nuclear technology, Hualong One, and fourth-generation nuclear technology, the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor; saturated steam is produced by using the main steam from Hualong One to heat demineralized water, and the main steam from the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is then used to further raise the temperature of this saturated steam. Under design conditions, the plant will be capable of providing high-quality steam as well as generating electricity. Steam is an essential production factor in the petrochemical industry. The Petrochemical Industry Base in Xuwei New Area, Lianyungang, is one of the seven petrochemical industry bases planned for development in China, and it has a very high demand for high-quality industrial steam. Phase 1 of the project plans to include 2 Hualong One reactors and 1 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. Once completed and put into operation, it will be able to supply 32.5 million tons of industrial steam per year, with a maximum power generation capacity of over 11.5 billion kWh. It will also enable the reduction of 7.26 million tons of standard coal consumption per year, as well as a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by 19.6 million tons. This facility will provide high-quality, low-carbon industrial steam on a large scale for Lianyungang’s trillion-yuan petrochemical industry base, offering a reliable source of clean energy to support the green transformation of the petrochemical industry in the Yangtze River Delta region.