China's 4th-Generation Gas-Cooled Nuclear Reactor

Context

• China has inaugurated the first commercial operations of a fourth-generation gas-cooled nuclear reactor at the Shidao Bay plant in Shandong province in December 2023.

Key Features of Shidaowan Plant

1. Utilizes 200 MW high-temperature small modular reactors (SMRs), distinct for their gas-cooling (helium) mechanism compared to conventional pressurized water-cooled reactors.
2. SMRs are recognized for being more efficient, cost-effective, and applicable for diverse uses like heating, desalination, and industrial steam production.

China's Nuclear Power overview

1. China aims to generate 10% of electricity from nuclear power by 2035 and increase to 18% by 2060.
2. As of September 2023, China fell short of its 2020 target to install 58 gigawatts of nuclear capacity.
3. China did not sign the COP28 climate conference pledge to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

1. These are Advanced nuclear reactors with a capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit.
2. Characteristics: Physically smaller, modular design for factory assembly and transport, and harnessing nuclear fission for energy production.
3. Advantages: Lower cost and construction time due to factory-built SMRs, enhanced safety with reduced fuel requirements, and incremental deployment to match increasing energy demands.

Nuclear Power in India

1. Current Status: India operates 22 reactors with a total capacity of 7480 MWe.
2. Program Stage: India is in the 2^nd stage of its 3-stage nuclear program.

Evolution of Nuclear Reactors

1. Generation I: Prototypes and early industrial reactors developed in the 1950s and 1960s, commissioned in the 1970s.
2. Generation II: Reactors commissioned from the 1970s onwards, emphasizing competitiveness and energy independence.
3. Generation III: Focus on safety and security, integrating operational experience from second-generation reactors.
4. Generation IV: Ongoing research on technologically advanced systems, considering sustainability, safety, economic competitiveness, and nuclear proliferation resistance.

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