# Has China Overtaken France in Nuclear Generating Capacity?

Yes. China has surpassed France in installed nuclear generating capacity for the first time. According to World Nuclear Association figures cited in the source, China's total installed nuclear capacity now stands at **63.98 GWe**, edging past France's 63 GW. The milestone was triggered by two Hualong One (HPR1000) pressurised water reactors hitting major commercial milestones within days of each other: Changjiang unit 3 in Hainan province connected to the grid on 1 August 2026, while Taipingling unit 2 in Guangdong entered full commercial operation on 3 August 2026. China now sits second globally, behind only the United States at 96.9 GWe.

The back-to-back milestones underscore the pace of China's nuclear build programme — one that Western developers, still working through [first-of-a-kind (FOAK)](https://smrintel.com/glossary/foak) cost and schedule challenges, are watching with a mixture of admiration and unease.

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## Changjiang Unit 3: Grid Connection, Not Yet Commercial Operation

[China National Nuclear Corporation](https://smrintel.com/companies/cnnc) confirmed that Changjiang unit 3 was successfully connected to the grid on 1 August 2026, generating its first kilowatt-hour of electricity. The unit has entered what CNNC describes as the "load-bearing trial operation phase" — a commissioning stage that precedes formal commercial operation. It is not yet fully commissioned.

[Nuclear criticality](https://smrintel.com/glossary/criticality) — a sustained fission chain reaction — was achieved on 10 July 2026. First concrete for unit 3's nuclear island was poured in March 2021, giving the project a construction-to-grid-connection timeline of approximately five years and four months.

Changjiang Phase II — units 3 and 4 — carries a total estimated investment of CNY40 billion (USD5.9 billion), according to project stakeholder China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share. Both units are scheduled to reach full commercial operation in early 2027. Unit 4's nuclear island base slab concrete was poured in December 2021, so it remains roughly a year behind its twin.

The Changjiang site is notable beyond its large PWR fleet. CNNC began construction of the **ACP100 demonstration SMR** — the 125 MWe Linglong One — at the site in 2021. The multi-purpose unit is designed for electricity generation, district heating, steam production, or seawater desalination, and is currently undergoing pre-commissioning tests. For SMR developers globally, Linglong One's commissioning trajectory is arguably the most significant near-term data point in the sector.

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## Taipingling Unit 2: Full Commercial Operation Confirmed

China General Nuclear (CGN) announced in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that Taipingling unit 2 completed all commissioning works and qualified for commercial operation on 3 August 2026. The commissioning sequence for this 1,116 MWe (net) Hualong One PWR followed a well-documented schedule:

- **Operating licence issued:** 30 April 2026 (by China's National Nuclear Safety Administration)
- **177 fuel assemblies loaded:** completed 3 May 2026
- **First criticality:** 25 June 2026
- **Grid connection:** 4 July 2026
- **Commercial operation:** 3 August 2026 (following a 168-hour test run)

That's roughly 13 weeks from fuel load to commercial operation — a commissioning pace that reflects accumulated experience from earlier Hualong One units. Unit 1 at the same site entered commercial operation on 19 April 2026, giving CGN two back-to-back Hualong One commissioning cycles to benchmark against each other.

Construction of Taipingling units 1 and 2 began in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The full six-unit site carries a total investment exceeding CNY120 billion (USD17 billion). Units 3 and 4 are already under construction following State Council approval in December 2023, with unit 3 breaking ground last June and unit 4's first nuclear safety-related concrete poured in May 2026. Units 5 and 6 received State Council construction approval on 31 July 2026 — two days before unit 2 entered commercial operation.

CGN projects that once all six units operate, annual generation will exceed 55 billion kilowatt-hours, displacing roughly 16.65 million tonnes of standard coal and cutting CO₂ emissions by approximately 50.82 million tonnes annually.

With Taipingling unit 2 now commercial, CGN's managed fleet (including associates) reaches 31 operating units at a combined installed capacity of 35,450 MW, up from 34,248 MW.

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## What This Means for the Global Nuclear Trajectory

The capacity ranking shift — China past France, both well behind the US — is a lagging indicator of a build programme that has been executing at scale for over a decade. The more telling metric is the pipeline: China has units under construction, approved, and now commissioning simultaneously across multiple sites.

For Western SMR developers, the Linglong One pre-commissioning status at Changjiang is the more immediately relevant storyline. A demonstrated operating 125 MWe PWR-based SMR in China would provide the first real-world [baseload power](https://smrintel.com/glossary/baseload) performance and [capacity factor](https://smrintel.com/glossary/capacity-factor) data for modular nuclear at that scale — data that Western regulators, utilities, and investors currently lack. Whether that data transfers across regulatory jurisdictions is a separate question, but the engineering benchmarks will be unavoidable reference points.

Hainan Province's energy policy — which explicitly designates nuclear as the primary electricity source for an island of close to 10 million people — also represents a governance model worth tracking. Island grid decarbonisation via nuclear, rather than submarine cables or large battery storage, has direct parallels for other isolated grid situations globally.

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## Key Takeaways

- **China's installed nuclear capacity reached 63.98 GWe**, surpassing France's 63 GW for the first time, per World Nuclear Association figures. The US leads at 96.9 GWe.
- **Changjiang unit 3** (Hualong One, Hainan) connected to the grid on 1 August 2026 and is in load-bearing trial operation; commercial operation targeted for early 2027.
- **Taipingling unit 2** (Hualong One, 1,116 MWe net, Guangdong) entered formal commercial operation on 3 August 2026 following a 168-hour commissioning run.
- Changjiang Phase II (units 3 and 4) carries a total investment of CNY40 billion (USD5.9 billion); the Taipingling six-unit site exceeds CNY120 billion (USD17 billion).
- The **ACP100 Linglong One** 125 MWe SMR at Changjiang is in pre-commissioning tests — the global SMR sector's most advanced near-term deployment benchmark.
- State Council approved Taipingling units 5 and 6 on 31 July 2026; units 3 and 4 are already under construction.
- CGN's managed operating fleet now stands at 31 units, 35,450 MW installed.

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Has China overtaken France in nuclear power capacity?**
Yes, as of August 2026. China's total installed nuclear generating capacity stands at 63.98 GWe according to World Nuclear Association figures, ahead of France's 63 GW. China is now second globally, behind the United States at 96.9 GWe.

**What is the Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor?**
The Hualong One is a Chinese-designed pressurised water reactor developed by CNNC and CGN. Both Changjiang unit 3 and Taipingling unit 2 are HPR1000 units. Taipingling unit 2 has a net electrical output of 1,116 MWe.

**What is the Linglong One SMR at Changjiang?**
The Linglong One (ACP100) is a 125 MWe multi-purpose PWR-based small modular reactor being demonstrated at the Changjiang site in Hainan by CNNC. It began construction in 2021 and is currently undergoing pre-commissioning tests. It is designed for electricity, heating, steam, or desalination applications.

**How quickly did Taipingling unit 2 move from fuel load to commercial operation?**
Fuel loading of 177 assemblies was completed on 3 May 2026. First criticality was achieved on 25 June, grid connection on 4 July, and commercial operation declared on 3 August — approximately 13 weeks from fuel load to full commercial status.

**What is Taipingling's full planned capacity?**
The site is planned for six Hualong One units with a total investment exceeding CNY120 billion (USD17 billion). Once all six units operate, CGN projects annual generation exceeding 55 billion kilowatt-hours, with annual CO₂ reductions of approximately 50.82 million tonnes.