China National Nuclear Corporation

China National Nuclear Corporation
Company type	State-owned enterprise
Industry	Nuclear power, nuclear technology
Predecessor	Ministry of Nuclear Industry
Founded	1955
Headquarters	Beijing, China
Area served	China, international markets
Products	Nuclear reactors, nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons development, uranium mining and processing
Owner	State Council of the People's Republic of China (via State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission)
Number of employees	100,000 (2014) (2014)

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC; ) is a state-owned enterprise established in 1955 and headquartered in Beijing. The corporation’s president and vice-president receive their appointments from the Premier of the People's Republic of China. CNNC oversees both civilian and military nuclear initiatives within China, serving as a pivotal organization in the advancement of national nuclear technology, strategic nuclear deterrence, and the development of nuclear energy.

Based in Xicheng District, Beijing, CNNC is actively engaged in areas spanning nuclear weapons development to nuclear power production, solidifying its status as a major entity within China’s nuclear sector.

History

China’s first atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, and nuclear submarine were developed under the Ministry of Nuclear Industry. This ministry functioned as a governmental bureau responsible for supervising various nuclear-related entities such as corporations, manufacturers, research institutions, and production facilities—including those involved with nuclear arms. Its duties encompassed the design and operation of nuclear power plants, as well as overseeing nuclear fuel processes like uranium mining, enrichment, fabrication of fuel assemblies, spent fuel reprocessing, and the management of nuclear waste.

In 1988, this ministry was restructured into CNNC to facilitate financing through export activities. By the mid-1990s, CNNC had expanded to employ approximately 300,000 personnel and controlled around 200 organizations.

A significant event occurred in 2009 when senior executive Kang Rixin came under investigation for embezzling $260 million allocated for nuclear power plant construction projects and accepting bribes from a foreign firm aiming to participate in China’s nuclear station development.

By 2014, CNNC’s workforce had decreased to about 100,000 employees with 110 subsidiaries under its umbrella. The corporation operated four nuclear power plants comprising nine reactors with a combined output of 6.5 GWe, while simultaneously constructing twelve additional reactors.

In June 2015, CNNC announced plans for an initial public offering targeting 13.19 billion Chinese yuan, which could have been the largest IPO in China within nearly four years. Later that September, CNNC entered into a memorandum of understanding with TerraPower—backed by Bill Gates—to collaborate on developing a traveling wave reactor.

During the same month, CNNC joined forces with the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory to create the Joint Research and Innovation Centre dedicated to advancing the nuclear fuel cycle. This initiative was supported by a joint investment of £50 million over five years.

By 2017, CNNC was progressing with a project to develop a 400 MW_th heat-only reactor designed specifically for district heating purposes.

In 2018, CNNC strengthened its influence in nuclear power plant construction through the acquisition of China Nuclear Engineering & Construction Corp (CNECC).

As one of China's two foremost enterprises in uranium extraction and nuclear power generation—alongside China General Nuclear Power Group—CNNC operates under the oversight of the State Council via the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

U.S. sanctions

In August 2020, the United States Department of Defense identified several companies associated with the People's Liberation Army that maintain operations within the United States; among them were CNNC and CNECC. Subsequently, in November 2020, then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting American individuals and businesses from holding shares in any firms on this list, directly affecting both CNNC and CNECC.

Reactor designs

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) stands as the exclusive exporter of Chinese nuclear power plant technology.

CNP / ACP series

The Generation II CNP reactors and their Generation III successors, the ACP series, were created by CNNC as forerunners to the current Hualong One design.

The initial model in the CNP lineup was the domestically engineered CNP-300 pressurized water reactor, which commenced operation at Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in 1991.

Building upon the CNP-300 and the M310 reactor design utilized at Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, CNNC developed a larger variant known as the CNP-600. Two units of this model entered service at Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in 2015 and 2016. Although a Generation III ACP-600 was designed as its successor, it was never constructed.

The CNP-1000, a three-loop reactor with a 1000-MW capacity, was developed during the 1990s with technical support from Westinghouse and Framatome (currently AREVA). Four of these reactors were built at Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant. Subsequent development of this model halted in favor of advancing the ACP-1000.

In 2013, China declared it had independently developed the Generation III ACP-1000, asserting complete intellectual property ownership. However, no ACP-1000 units have been built since the Hualong One project proved more successful. Initially, CNNC intended to construct ACP-1000 units 5 and 6 at Fuqing but later opted for Hualong One reactors instead.

Hualong One

In 2012, the Chinese government instructed China General Nuclear (CGN) and CNNC to unify their Generation III reactor designs. CGN’s ACPR1000 and CNNC’s ACP1000—both derived from the French Generation II M310 design—were combined into a single standardized model known as the Hualong One. While each company continues to operate distinct supply chains and retains minor design differences (with CGN units preserving some ACPR1000 characteristics), approximately 85% of components are manufactured domestically.

The Hualong One boasts a gross output of 1170 MWe (net 1090 MWe) and is engineered for a 60-year operational lifespan. It integrates both passive and active safety mechanisms along with dual containment structures. Its core contains 177 fuel assemblies, supports an 18-month refueling interval, and achieves utilization rates up to 90%. CNNC claims its safety features comply with leading global standards.

Currently serving as China’s flagship nuclear reactor design, the Hualong One has also been exported to international markets.

Hualong Two

CNNC aims to initiate construction of the Hualong Two by 2024. This iteration is designed to be more cost-effective, employing similar technology but reducing construction expenses by roughly 25% and shortening build duration by one year.

Advanced CANDU reactor

In September 2016, SNC-Lavalin entered into a preliminary agreement with CNNC and Shanghai Electric Group to jointly develop, promote, and construct an advanced CANDU reactor. This design utilizes reprocessed uranium to help diminish China’s accumulation of spent nuclear fuel.

DHR-400

CNNC created the DHR-400 (District Heating Reactor 400 MWt), a pool-type light-water reactor tailored for district heating applications. Operating at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure simplifies both operation and decommissioning processes. The reactor’s estimated cost is about 1.5 billion yuan (approximately $230 million), with a construction timeline of three years. It is intended to supply centralized heating systems in northern Chinese cities that currently depend heavily on coal-fired sources.

In February 2019, State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) collaborated with Baishan city authorities in Jilin province to launch the Baishan Nuclear Energy Heating Demonstration Project utilizing the DHR-400 technology.

ACP100

In July 2019, CNNC revealed its intention to construct a demonstration model of the ACP100 small modular reactor (SMR) next to the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant, with plans to commence building before the end of that year. The ACP100, developed since 2010, is a fully integrated reactor design incorporating an internal coolant loop, a refueling cycle of two years, and a thermal output of 385 MWt (approximately 125 MWe). CNNC confirmed the beginning of construction in July 2021, with the installation phase initiated in December 2022. By March 2023, the primary internal framework of the reactor building had been finalized. This reactor is also promoted under the name Linglong One.

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