China advances 1.25 GW nuclear reactor construction with first concrete pour
China has completed the first concrete pour for the conventional island basemat of unit 2 at the Bailong nuclear power plant in Guangxi, marking fresh progress on the country’s planned 8.62GW nuclear complex.
State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) announced the milestone after work concluded on August 9. The operation began on the evening of August 7 and continued for 38 hours and 46 minutes, during which crews poured 1,732 cubic meters (2,264 cubic yards) of concrete.
The foundation will support future construction of the turbine base and basement sidewalls for the 1.25-GW reactor.
Nine-zone foundation takes shape
The conventional island, also known as the turbine island, houses equipment that converts steam produced by the reactor into electricity. Its basement slab uses an integral raft foundation divided into nine separate construction zones.
Crews employed a “skip-pour” construction technique, under which concrete sections are poured in a planned sequence rather than consecutively. This approach can help manage thermal stresses and reduce the possibility of cracking as large volumes of concrete cure. The latest operation covered Zone 1 of the foundation.
According to SPIC, teams monitored construction standards and strengthened oversight throughout the nearly 39-hour continuous pour.
“During the pouring operations, the project team closely monitored process standards, continuously strengthened supervision and control throughout the entire process, and built a solid safety and quality defense line to ensure the safe and high-quality implementation of the conventional island first concrete pouring,” SPIC said.
China’s State Council approved the first phase of the Bailong project in August 2024 as part of a wider package covering 11 new nuclear reactors. SPIC plans to construct two CAP1000 pressurized water reactors, China’s version of Westinghouse’s AP1000 design.
Each unit will have a generating capacity of 1.25 GW, giving the first phase a combined capacity of 2.5 GW. The two reactors are expected to require approximately CNY40 billion ($5.6 billion) in investment and take 56 months to construct.
Excavation for its nuclear island foundation began in December 2024, while the first concrete was poured on December 22, 2025.
