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Energy Transformation In China! New Nuclear Plant Generates And Transports Steam For 23.3 Km To The Petrochemical Plant, Reducing Coal Use And Emissions. Clean Energy In Action!
China’s commitment to nuclear energy is strong. And the most surprising part is that it goes beyond its use for generating electricity. In November 2022, the Chinese administration launched a project aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of using nuclear energy generated by the Hongyanhe plant, located in the city of Donggang, to resolve the heating system of an entire district. Shortly after, another nuclear heat generation project for industrial use began in Haiyan County.
Currently, China has 56 nuclear reactors in operation, the same number as France. The country with the most operational reactors is the USA, with no less than 94, but Xi Jinping’s nation is becoming increasingly strong in this scenario. According to the Nuclear Forum, 25 of the 59 nuclear reactors currently under construction are in China, so it would not be surprising if, in the medium term, this country surpasses the USA and establishes itself as the nation with the most operational fission reactors.
Last Wednesday, just three days ago, the Heqi No. 1 project officially commenced operations. It is the first initiative in the world proposing to use nuclear energy to generate steam and supply it to the petrochemical industry. Its goal is to enable the latter to reduce its coal use by 400,000 tons annually, which is equivalent to preventing the emission of 1.07 million tons of carbon dioxide, 184 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 263 tons of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Not bad.
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The idea of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the state-owned company responsible for managing nuclear facilities, is relatively simple. The steam that powers two of the turbines of the Tianwan nuclear power plant, located in Jiangsu province, is introduced into an aerial pipeline that extends 23.3 km and is transported to the petrochemical plant. According to the CNNC, the Heqi No. 1 project is capable of supplying 4.8 million tons of steam annually from the Tianwan nuclear station to the Lianyungang petrochemical plant.
The CNNC assures that it has installed several monitoring sensors that control the radioactivity of the steam in real-time, with the aim of halting operations if necessary. The Chinese government plans to launch more projects like this, aiming to meet its climate commitment. If so, it will reach its peak carbon emissions in 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Source: SCMP
