China Scales Nuclear District Heating with Haiyang Project

China has significantly expanded its use of nuclear energy for residential heating through the Haiyang Nuclear Energy Heating Project, marking a major milestone in the decarbonisation of urban infrastructure. This large-scale initiative utilises steam from a nuclear power plant to provide a reliable, carbon-free heat source for regional heating networks, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based systems.

The system works by extracting steam produced by the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant’s two reactors to heat water in a centralised regional network. This heat is then distributed to residential and commercial buildings throughout the city. By operating in cogeneration mode — simultaneously producing electricity and thermal energy — the plant significantly increases its overall energy efficiency. A key advantage of this technology is its environmental impact; the first phase alone is expected to avoid the consumption of 23,200 tonnes of coal annually and prevent the emission of 60,000 tonnes of CO2. By the end of 2021, the project reached a scale capable of providing heat to the entire coastal city of Haiyang in Shandong province, serving a population of approximately 670,000 people.

This implementation demonstrates the practical application of nuclear cogeneration in high-density urban areas, proving that nuclear energy can play a vital role in cleaning up the heating sector while ensuring energy security for hundreds of thousands of residents.

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