China is planning to create a marine nuclear propulsion reactor by 2020. The ACPR505 project became part of the Chinese energy industry's 13th Five-Year Plan after gaining the approval of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The ACPR505 marine small modular reactors will be solely developed by China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN). The company is reportedly making its initial design for the ACPR505, and construction will begin next year. It is expected to finished and put into work by 2020.

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CGN needs to intensify its research and innovation efforts in terms of core technologies, design and key components to meet with the growing demand for maritime atomic propulsion, the NDRC said.

One reactor has the capacity to generate up to 200,000-kilowatt of stable and reliable electricity necessary for island and other projects development. It can also supply power to a ship that needs to stay on the water for a long period of time without refueling for projects such as seawater desalination and oilfield and gas exploitation.

"The project has broad applications in providing safe and stable energy for maritime resources exploration and development," the CGN said.

Aside from the ACRP505 project, the company is also developing another small reactor called theACPR100 that has a smaller capacity of 450 megawatts per unit. This reactor can potentially be utilized in remote locations and big industrial clusters.

Experts say land-based nuclear reactors can provide only a maximum of 1,000 megawatts of power, while a conventional propulsion reactor can generate less energy.

An insider revealed that CGN and China National Nuclear Corp are teaming up with China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. (CSIC) to construct nuclear-powered ships. "Compared with conventional ships, nuclear-powered ships can travel further with more reliable fuel, enabling them to complete missions like polar expeditions," the source said.

CSIC established 719 -- a research center -- last year to work on nuclear power platform and core technologies. The company has reportedly gotten the green light from the NDRC to begin research into nuclear-propulsion ships.

Tagsnuclear reactor, ACPR505, China General Nuclear Power Corporation, National Development and Reform Commission