In 1989, the Chinese government invited 11 experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct a safety evaluation of the Qinshan project. After three months of careful testing, the IAEA issued a report saying the plant was "safe and of good quality". It allayed many fears.

In December 1991, Qinshan's reactor was connected to the power grid. It began commercial operation in April 1994. The Qinshan project made China the seventh country in the world to build and operate a nuclear power plant.

By the end of last year, the plant had generated a total of 31 billion kWh of electricity, earning about 9.6 billion yuan in sales revenues and paying 1.8 billion yuan in taxes.

After 14 years of operation, nuclear power has proved to be a clean source of energy for China. In contrast, a thermal power plant with a 1000-MW capacity will consume three million tons of coal a year and produce heavy emissions. A nuclear power plant with the same capacity will use 250 tons of fuel, producing fewer emissions.

After tracking the area around the power plant for more than ten years, the Zhejiang provincial environmental authority has reported that the power plant has caused no environmental changes.

Booming industry

Based on the success of the first Qinshan nuclear power reactor, China started to build Phase II in 1996. Two domestically produced pressurized water reactors, each with a capacity of 650 MW, were placed in commercial operation in 2002 and 2004.

In 1998 China began building Phase III with two 728-MW heavy water reactors using technology from Canada. The plant started commercial operation in 2003.

With five reactors now in operation, Qinshan has become an important nuclear power base in China. It has met the voracious power needs of the Yangtze River Delta, one of the fastest growing and most prosperous regions in the country.