CHINA: The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Sabah Branch delegation visited the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Base in Guangxi, China, recently, gaining valuable insights into advanced nuclear power generation, engineering safety management and China’s domestically developed Hualong One Generation III nuclear technology.
The Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant is one of China’s major nuclear energy facilities, currently operating four nuclear reactors with a combined net generating capacity of approximately 4,000 megawatts (MW) and a gross installed capacity of 4,548 MW.
Units 1 and 2 utilise CPR1000 pressurised water reactor technology, each with a gross capacity of 1,086 MW, and commenced commercial operations in 2016. Units 3 and 4 employ the more advanced Hualong One (HPR1000) Generation III technology, each with a gross capacity of 1,188 MW.
They commenced commercial operations in March 2023 and May 2024 respectively.
The nuclear power base is also undergoing further development.
China’s State Council approved Phase III of the project in April 2025, involving the addition of two Hualong One reactors, Units 5 and 6.
Upon completion of all six units, the nuclear power base is projected to achieve a total installed capacity of approximately 6.9 gigawatts (GW), with an estimated annual electricity generation of 53 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh).
This expansion is expected to further strengthen China’s electricity supply and support its transition towards lower-carbon energy.
The technical visit formed part of the 2026 Engineering Capacity Building Programme (Energy and Power Engineering) under the theme “Nuclear Energy: Powering a Green Electricity Future.”The Malaysian delegation was led by IEM Sabah Branch Chairman Ts. Tan KJ, JP, comprising engineers and technical professionals from Sabah Electricity (SESB), the Public Works Department (JKR Sabah), the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS), CIDB Sabah, consulting engineering firms and technical education institutions.
Tan said the visit provided Sabah engineers with an excellent opportunity to understand the engineering complexity, stringent safety requirements and operational reliability associated with large-scale nuclear power generation.
Tan noted that Sabah possesses considerable renewable energy potential, particularly in hydropower and solar energy. Learning from international energy developments would help engineers better understand the technical requirements and benefits of different electricity generation technologies.
