The Heqi No. 1 Nuclear Powered Steam Supply Project was recently inaugurated at the Tianwan Nuclear Power Base in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province. This innovative initiative uses the secondary loop steam from units 3 and 4 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant as a heat source, effectively replacing conventional coal-based methods and providing a solution to the thermal and power needs of the petrochemical industry. The use of nuclear-generated steam offers significant advantages over coal, including lower costs and reduced carbon emissions.

Despite current limitations in scaling up nuclear -powered steam supply, such as the selection of nuclear power plant sites and the development of supporting infrastructure such as pipeline networks, the future looks promising. Ongoing advances in nuclear technology suggest that the integration of nuclear power with the petrochemical sector could potentially redefine China’s energy landscape and usher in a new era of sustainable and efficient industrial practices.

(Source: Economic Daily)