China has announced a major acceleration of its nuclear energy program, with plans to bring an ambitious seven new reactors into commercial operation during 2026.
This push is fundamentally about energy security. In recent years, China has experienced record-breaking summer heatwaves, causing electricity demand to spike and straining the power grid. While wind and solar power are expanding rapidly, they are intermittent. Nuclear power provides a steady, reliable source of baseload power that can operate 24/7, which is crucial for stabilizing the grid and preventing blackouts. The addition of a record 78 GW of coal power in 2025 underscores this urgent need for dependable energy sources.
Furthermore, this expansion is supported by a solid policy and legal foundation. The new Atomic Energy Law, which took effect in January 2026, provides a clear legal framework for safety, fuel management, and regulation, reducing uncertainty for new projects. This domestic push aligns with global trends, too. In March 2026, China endorsed the international 'Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050', signaling its commitment to nuclear power as a key tool for achieving its climate goals.
The goal of commissioning seven reactors in one year is made credible by a series of recent milestones. First, several reactors are already in the final stages. For example, the Taipingling-1 and San'ao-1 reactors were connected to the grid in early 2026, a key step before full commercial operation. Second, the construction pipeline remains robust, with work beginning on new projects like Jinqimen-2, ensuring a steady flow of future capacity. Third, China is investing trillions of yuan in upgrading its grid to handle this new influx of power.
Once operational, these seven reactors will have a substantial impact. They are expected to add about 7.7 GWe of capacity, generating over 60 Terawatt-hours of clean electricity annually—enough to power a large city. This will help avoid nearly 50 million tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to coal. This expansion will also boost global demand for uranium, creating upward pressure on prices in a market that is already tight.
- Baseload Power: The minimum level of electricity demand required over a period of 24 hours. It is provided by power plants that can operate continuously and reliably.
- GWe (Gigawatt electrical): A unit of power measuring the electrical output of a power plant. One GWe is equal to one billion watts.
- Capacity Factor: A measure of how much electricity a power plant actually produces compared to its maximum potential output over a period of time.