China marked multiple infrastructure milestones on January 1, including the start of commercial operations at Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 2 and progress across transport and port projects, according to CCTV.com.
Unit 2 at the Zhangzhou nuclear power base, equipped with the “Hualong One” reactor design, completed a 168-hour full-power continuous operation test and entered commercial operation. The site is planned to host six units; with two units from the first phase fully online, the base is expected to supply about 20 billion kWh of electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 16 million tonnes.
Construction continued along the New Western Land–Sea Corridor. The Pinglu Canal, with a total length of about 134.2 km, completed main concrete works at its three ship-lock hubs—Madao, Qishi and Qingnian—while roughly 115 km of channel has been formed, with full opening planned by the end of this year.
The Huangtong–Baise railway, extending about 315 km between Guizhou and Guangxi, is expected to be completed and opened in 2028.
In Zhejiang, the first main tower of the Xihoumen road-rail bridge reached its structural topping-out. The tower stands 294 meters high, and the bridge spans more than three kilometers with a main span close to 1,500 meters; completion and opening are planned for 2028.
In Wuhan, the You’an Avenue Industrial Port opening bridge entered operation, while tunnel boring began on the Yangtze River crossing of Wuhan Metro Line 10 Phase I using a 13.28-meter-diameter shield machine.
Separately, Qingdao Port put into service the country’s first vacuum-type automatic mooring system at an automated terminal berth, aiming to enhance mooring safety and operational efficiency.
