(Yicai Global) July 14 -- The construction of the world’s first commercial small modular nuclear reactor on land, developed by state-owned China National Nuclear Corp., kicked off in southern Hainan province yesterday, further cementing China’s position as a global nuclear power.

The ‘Linglong One’ will be able to generate one billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to supply 526,000 households with power, Beijing-based CNNC said. It can also be used in a wide range of application scenarios such as the production of industrial steam, seawater desalination and petroleum extraction.

While large reactors are mainly used for power generation, smaller reactors are more flexible and can be installed in industrial parks, sea islands, mining areas and at enterprises that consume huge amounts of energy, it said. They can also be integrated with wind and photovoltaic power generation devices to form a clean energy system.

The modular design means it can be assembled in a short period of time, has multiple usages and offers better security, CNNC said. Developing nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Indonesia and Thailand have shown great interest in the reactor.

The ‘Linglong One’ was the first small reactor in the world to pass the safety review of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2016. No details were given about when the project will be completed.

Editor: Kim Taylor