China launches construction of unusual nuclear power plant: 'Adopting this technology'

A Chinese nuclear marvel under construction is making headlines for safety, redundancy, air pollution savings, and the ability to provide power to 5 million people. 

The Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant in coastal Shandong will have six reactors on site. The generators will replace 16.8 million tons of coal and prevent 50.9 million tons of heat-trapping air pollution yearly, Nuclear Engineering International reported.  

Perhaps most unique is the heat-sink cooling tower, a structure that is over 660 feet tall and carries thermal energy away from the reactor. Seawater is available as a secondary cooling source. The design conserves water and is more sustainable, according to the Global Times. 

"By adopting this technology, the … project expands the siting possibilities for nuclear facilities and provides new reference experience for China's future nuclear development," Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Co. Executive Director Yu Xiangdong said in the story. 

The tower, a concept often used for coal-fired plants, provides what the reports bill as a natural/mechanical cooling system that can operate for two hours if access to water is lost. This gives operators ample time to turn the reactors off during an emergency. 

That should allay some of the fears nuclear critics have about the energy source, which provides nearly 20% of America's electricity from 94 reactors in 54 plants, according to government data. 

The air pollution-free generators are considered by supporters as the best way to meet rising data center power demand. That's why Microsoft is reopening a portion of the infamous Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, the site of a 1979 partial meltdown. The move has drawn high-profile criticism, too. 

Hazardous nuclear waste is also a debated topic. The U.S. Department of Energy reported that nuclear fuel and waste are solid ceramic pellets, not ooze. Stateside plants make enough pellet-sized leavings to fill half the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool each year. 

And North Carolina State University associate professor Robert B. Hayes said the waste's danger potential is overblown, calling it a "small amount of material" in a TikTok clip. 

But it's still radioactive, and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation cited concern that weapons could be developed as nuclear ability grows around the world — under the guise of peaceful energy production. 

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In China, the World Nuclear Association listed 59 nuclear reactors. The country has a whopping 1,195 coal-fired plants, compared to 195 in the U.S., data collector Statista added. 

Reducing the dirty-fuel burden can limit the impact of planet-warming fumes, linked by experts from NASA and elsewhere to greater risks for severe weather, including heat waves that could make some places unbearable. 

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that solar is cheaper and faster to develop for grid-level energy. It produces no air pollution or byproduct radioactive waste. 

And solar can be leveraged by homeowners in the pursuit of energy independence. The Cool Down's Solar Explorer can match you with curated quotes, the right installer, and insight that can save you up to $10,000 in upfront costs. Community solar and $0 down subscription plans are other options to lower your electric bill.

In China, there's no arguing with Zhaoyuan's output potential. If safely operated, it can be a cleaner power source for millions of people. 

The technology has the industry "well-positioned to support a more sustainable energy transformation," Lin Boqiang, an energy expert at Xiamen University, told the Times. 

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