Fourth-Generation Nuclear Plant : China
China has launched the world’s first commercial operations of a fourth-generation gas-cooled nuclear reactor power plant, the Shidao Bay plant in eastern Shandong province.
- This plant utilizes small modular reactors (SMRs), which are high-temperature reactors cooled by gas instead of pressurized water.
- SMRs are considered more efficient and cost-effective and can be employed for various applications such as heating, desalination, or steam for industrial purposes.
- SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a capacity of up to 300 MW per unit, offering advantages such as simplicity, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
- SMRs can be factory-made and transported to a site for installation.
- SMRs are economical and time-efficient, and unlike traditional reactors that require refuelling every 1-2 years, SMRs only need refuelling every 3-7 years.
