China's record-breaking nuclear reactor marks major milestone

The world's first land-based commercial small modular reactor, Linglong One, completed its cold functional test on Thursday, a crucial step toward its reactor loading and eventual commercial operation, according to its developer, the China National Nuclear Corporation.

The completion of the test lays a solid foundation for the subsequent stages. It serves as the first full "physical examination" of the entire reactor's performance, ensuring its safe and stable operation, said the corporation.

Located in Changjiang, Hainan province, Linglong One is globally significant as the first land-based commercial modular SMR to have passed the International Atomic Energy Agency's safety review.

Following this milestone, the Linglong One project is scheduled to undergo further hot functional tests and criticality tests, it said.

Once operational, the project is expected to generate about 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the power demands of an estimated 526,000 households in Hainan. It is also projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 880,000 metric tons per year, equivalent to planting 7.5 million trees.