- Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is a renewable energy source.
- Previously, the United States (US) was the country with the largest nuclear power plant in the world. United States is capable of processing up to 852 trillion watts per hour.
- Apart from Japan, several countries in Asia are included in the world’s nuclear power generating countries.
Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is a renewable energy source. The use of nuclear reactors as alternative energy is widely used in a number of countries as a substitute for increasingly scarce fossil fuels. The use of nuclear energy as a power plant also does not produce carbon emissions, so it is environmentally friendly. Most of the largest Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) in the world based on net capacity are in the Asian region.
Previously, the United States (US) was the country with the largest nuclear power plant in the world. United States is capable of processing up to 852 trillion watts per hour. This figure is equal to 30.5% of the total global nuclear power plant production. However, at this time the United States was replaced by Japan as the largest producer of nuclear power plants in the world. Apart from Japan, several countries in Asia are included in the world’s nuclear power generating countries. Reported from Liputan6.com, here is a list of 7 countries in Asia with the largest nuclear power plants in the world:
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Tokyo Electric Power Co. power plant. (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in Japan is currently the largest nuclear power plant in the world with a net capacity of 7,965 MW. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has 7 boiling water reactors (BWR) with an installed gross capacity of 8,212 MW. In detail, the first five units have a gross capacity of 1,100 MW each. While the sixth and seventh units each have a capacity of 1,356 MW. Meanwhile, the first unit started commercial operation in September 1985 and the last unit started commercial operation in July 1997. But unfortunately, the operation at the plant has been suspended since May 2012. This is because of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Then TEPCO implemented new measures at the factory to meet the safety guidelines that had been set by the Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
2. Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, South Korea
Furthermore, the second position was filled by the Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant which changed its name to Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in 2013. This power plant is one of the largest in South Korea. Currently, the plant has an installed gross capacity of 6,189MW and a net design capacity of approximately 5,908MW. That is the reason the Hanul nuclear power plant has succeeded in being ranked as the third largest nuclear power plant in the world. Meanwhile, the first phase of the Hanul nuclear power plant was completed in 2005 with six pressurized water reactors (PWR). Two more reactors, namely Shin Hanul-1 and Shin Hanul-2, are being added to Hanul as part of the second phase of plant construction. The two new reactors will have a net capacity of 1,350MW each and increase the total net capacity of the generator to 8,608MW. The gross generating capacity will increase to 8,989MW upon completion of the second phase.
3. Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, South Korea
Apart from the Hanul nuclear power plant, South Korea also has other nuclear power plants. He is the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, formerly known as the Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant. Currently, the Hanbit nuclear power plant is ranked as the fourth largest nuclear power plant in the world with an installed net capacity of 5,899MW and a gross capacity of 6,164MW. The power plant operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) consists of six PWR units which were commissioned in 1986, 1986, 1994, 1995, 2001 and 2002, respectively. However, the 1,000MW generator in Unit 3 cannot operate. This was due to a crack found in the control rod guide tube in November 2012. However, the unit resumed operation in June 2013 after eight months of repairs.
4. Yangjiang Nuclear Power Plant, China
Next in fourth position is the Yangjiang Nuclear Power Plant, located in Guangdong province, China. This power plant has a gross installed capacity of 5,430MW which includes five 1086 MW PWRs. One of the reactors, namely the sixth reactor, has entered service in the second half of 2019. The nuclear power plant owned by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) is operated by Yangjiang Nuclear Power Company. With a current net power generation capacity of 5,000 MW, the Yangjiang NPP is on the list of the eighth largest nuclear power plants in the world. The first three units of the plant were commissioned in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The fourth and fifth units were connected to the grid in January 2017 and the fifth in May 2018, respectively.
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5. Shin Kori nuclear power plant, South Korea
In South Korea, there are other nuclear power plants besides Hanul and Hanbit nuclear power plants. He is the Shin Kori nuclear power plant which is located near Ulsan, South Korea. This power plant has an installed net capacity of 4,748 MW and a gross capacity of 4,974MW. It is the third largest nuclear power plant in South Korea and the ninth largest in the world by net capacity. Owned and operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the power plant is installed with four operational PWR units, including two advanced power-1400 reactors (APR-1400). Two more APR-1400 units have been built on site since April 2017 and September 2018. The first two units with a net capacity of 996MW were commissioned between 2010 and 2012, respectively, while the third and fourth units were commissioned in January 2016 and April 2019, respectively.
6. Hongyanhe nuclear power plant, China
In another position, there is the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant located in Donggang, near the coastal city of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. The nuclear power plant consists of four operational PWR units with a gross installed capacity of 4,476MW (1,119MW each) and a net design capacity of 4,244MW (1,061MW each). Hongyanhe is currently ranked as the second largest nuclear power plant in China and the tenth largest in the world. The Hongyanhe plant is owned and operated by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power (LHNP), which is a joint venture of CGNPC (45%), China Power Investment Corporation (CPIC, 45%), and Dalian Construction Investment Group (10%). Four CPR-1000 reactor units at the plant were commissioned between 2013 and 2016.
7. Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant, Japan
The last, there is the Fukushima Daini or Fukushima II nuclear power plant located in Naraha, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. In line with the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant from China, the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant also ranks tenth on the list of the world’s largest nuclear power plants if it is operational. The 4.268MW (net) plant is owned and operated by TEPCO. This nuclear power plant has four BWR units with a gross capacity of 1,100MW and a net capacity of 1,067MW each. Four units of the Fukushima II reactor shut down automatically due to the great earthquake that occurred in East Japan in March 2011. A powerful tsunami wave triggered by an underwater earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale caused the collapse of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. All four of the Fukushima Daini reactors have since been maintained in a cold-off state. In June 2018, TEPCO informed that they were considering decommissioning the plant.
Editor: Riana Nurhasanah
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