China has begun construction of a new, easier-to-design nuclear reactor, an SMR, which will be the first in the world to enter commercial service, state media said on Wednesday.

Nuclear reactors have tended to grow in recent decades, but these projects are pharaonic, very complex and expensive. That is why the sector is increasingly interested in the development of small modular reactors, known by its acronym SMR (“small modular reactorsThese are small reactors whose power does not exceed 300 megawatts (MW), compared to more than 1000 of modern conventional reactors.

Significant benefits

These reactors can be mass produced at the factory and then transported to your site of operation, greatly reducing costs. Another advantage: they can be deployed in isolated regions or with little infrastructure. China on Tuesday began construction of this type of SMR reactor on the tropical island of Hainan (south), which will become the first in the world to enter commercial service, the New China agency reported.

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The Changjiang power plant will finally be equipped with an SMR Linglong One (ACP100) reactor, designed by the Chinese nuclear giant CNNC. At 125 megawatts, it should be able to supply electricity to 526,000 homes, according to CNNC. The duration of the works was not specified.