AdronephototakenonDec.6,2023showsaviewofShidaowanhightemperaturegas-cooledreactor(HTGR)nuclearpowerplantinRongchengCity,eastChina'sShandongProvince.(Xinhua/LiZhihao)JINAN,April4(Xinhua)--Theworld'sfirstfourth-generationnuclearpowerplant,China'sShidaowanhightemperaturegas-cooledreactor(HTGR)nuclearpowerplant,hasbeguntoprovideheatsupplytoresidentsofRongchengCity,eastChina'sShandongProvince.Itisthefirsttimethenuclearpowerplanthasprovidedheatsupplytourbanresidents,markinganotherbreakthroughinthecomprehensiveutilizationofitsnuclearenergy,accordingtothepowerplant'soperator,HuanengShandongShidaowannuclearpowerCo.,Ltd.StartingfromMarch27,theplant'sheatsupplyprojecthasbeenconnectedtothepowergridtohelpheatsome190,000squaremetersofareasinthecity,replacingtheformerthermalpower.Itisexpectedtosave3,700tonnesofcoalineachheatingseason,resultingin6,700tonnesofcarbondioxideemissionsreduction,accordingtotheoperator.TheheatingseasoninRongchengisscheduledtorunfromNovember2023tomid-Aprilthisyear,longerthansomeotherpartsofShandong.Thecoastalcityoftenhasanaveragetemperature6to10degreesCelsiuslowerthanShandong'sinlandcities,accordingtolocalmeteorologicalauthorities.Theproject,locatedinShandongProvinceandwithChinaowningfullyindependentintellectualpropertyrights,isjointlydevelopedbyChinaHuanengGroup,TsinghuaUniversityandChinaNationalNuclearCorporation.ConstructionofShidaowanHTGRnuclearpowerplantstartedinDecember2012,andgeneratedpowerforthefirsttimeinDecember2021.ItwentintocommercialoperationinDecember2023.RongchengCityplanstoupgradeitssupportingtubenetworkfornuclearenergyheatsupplythisyear,whichisestimatedtoheatanadditional4.6millionsquaremetersofthecity.Bythen,morethanhalfofitsresidentswillgainaccesstonuclear-poweredheatsupply.■AdronephototakenonMarch29,2024showsworkersoperatingataconstructionsiteofapipelineforheatsupplyinRongchengCity,eastChina'sShandongProvince.(Xinhua/LiZhihao)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.