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A view of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station Co Ltd in Haiyan. [Photo/WeChat account: jxfabu]

The first phase of the nuclear heating project, the first of its kind in South China, was put into operation in Haiyan, a county in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, on Dec 3.

The project, which represents a 930 million yuan ($146.05 million) investment by the Haiyan government and Qinshan Nuclear Power Station Co Ltd, has three phases and is expected to heat an area of 4 million square meters by 2025.

The first phase involves constructing a heat-supply pipe network connecting three residential communities in Haiyan's downtown area and apartments for senior residents.

The second phase will see the building of pipeworks and heat conversion stations in the surrounding urban area, while the last phase involves building pipeworks and heat conversion stations outside the urban area.

"Compared with traditional heating by coal, natural gas or electricity, nuclear heating is more clean and efficient," said Zou Zhengyu, general manager of Qinshan Nuclear Power Station Co Ltd.

According to Zou, nuclear heating can reduce electricity and coal consumption by 196 million kilowatt hours and 246 million tons respectively every year. The emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, and carbon dioxide will also be reduced by 18.17 million metric tons, 9.08 million tons, and 590,000 tons respectively.

Haiyan has a long history of cooperation with Qianshan as construction of the nuclear power plant in the county started in 1985. As of November this year, the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station Co Ltd had generated 689.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 651 million tons, which is equivalent to the afforestation of 432 West Lake scenic areas.