12 October 2026

EnergyNews Pro (Estonia)

China Ends 2025 with 62.5 GW of Nuclear Capacity, Short of its 70 GW Target

China’s gross nuclear capacity reached 62.5 GW at end-2025, over 10% below the 14th Five-Year Plan goal. Beijing targets 110 GW by 2030, with 37 reactors under construction.
Source : EnergyNews Pro: China Ends 2025 with 62.5 GW of Nuclear Capacity, Short of Its 70 GW Target https://energynews.pro/en/china-ends-2025-with-625-gw-of-nuclear-capacity-short-of-its-70-gw-target

5 October 2026

China’s operating nuclear capacity ended 2025 more than 10% below its Five-Year Plan target, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2026 (WNISR). Gross operating capacity stood at 62.5 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2025, against the “around 70 GW” goal in the 14th Five-Year Plan. The 15th Five-Year Plan, approved in March 2026, targets 110 GW of gross capacity by 2030. A 110 GW target that would surpass the United States

Such a level would put China ahead of the United States, which has 102.5 GW of gross capacity and no reactors under construction. As the Italian Senate’s approval of the country’s return to nuclear power shows, other countries are also reviving their programs, though on a much smaller scale. According to the WNISR, China had 37 reactors under construction as of 1 July, half of the 73 units being built worldwide.

Two of them, Taipingling-2 and Changjiang-3, had started up by 15 August. Construction began on nine reactors in 2025, including six Hualong Ones and three CAP1000s, and on three more Hualong Ones in the first half of 2026.

Approvals on hold in 2026

The State Council approved 10 reactors in 2025, which are expected to cost more than $27.8 billion, according to available reports. It has made no new approvals in 2026 to date.

Nuclear generation rose 7.6% to a record 485 terawatt-hours (TWh) gross in 2025, equal to 4.6% of China’s electricity. The fleet’s average load factor rose to 93% from 90% in 2024, against 68% for France’s fleet.

Wind and solar well ahead

Wind and solar made up 83% of new capacity added in China in 2025. They generated 2,300 TWh, more than five times nuclear output.

The WNISR counts 63 operating reactors in China as of mid-2026, against 60 according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The gap stems from counting the two HTR-PM modules separately and including the CAP1400 units at Shidaowan.

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This article was also released in French.