China’s Linglong One SMR nears completion at Changjiang site

China’s Linglong One, the world’s first commercial onshore small modular reactor (SMR), has reached a significant milestone with the installation of the lower reactor internals at the Changjiang site in Hainan province. The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) placed the “hanging basket assembly” into the reactor pressure vessel on August 29, starting the internal components installation.

The reactor internals are critical to the SMR’s operation, supporting the core, maintaining fuel alignment, directing coolant flow, and shielding the vessel from radiation. The installation follows the steady progress of the Linglong One project, which began in July 2019. Construction has remained on schedule, with first concrete poured in July 2021 and the main internal structure completed in March 2023.

Expected to be fully operational by 2026, the Linglong One will generate 125 MW of power and produce one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, sufficient to meet the needs of 526,000 households. The reactor will also be used for heating, steam production, and seawater desalination.

This SMR is the first of its kind to receive approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), placing China ahead of other countries, including the US, in advanced nuclear technology deployment.