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After over 30-year practice, China has had 30 nuclear power reactors in operation, with total installed capacity of over 28 gigawatts, and 24 more are under construction. Among them, Qinshan is the first, and by far the largest power plant on the Chinese mainland. Our reporter Zheng Yibing visited the plant and filed this story. 

Qinshan nuclear power plant lies in Haiyan county, east China's Zhejiang province. Its first and China’s first power unit began construction in 1985, and had the first grid connection in 1991. 

Since the 300 megawatt power unit, Qinshan has been providing important experiences for the industry, including the recent generation-3 Hualong-One technology . 

This is the ninth and the very latest power unit in Qinhan. In its 30-year development, Qinshan has gone through a history from zero to mega-kilowatt class plant.

The latest unit has over 80 percent indigenous technologies. It has made Qinshan a model in design, production, and innovation in China's nuclear power industry. 

Qinshan’s annual electricity output has reached 50 billion kilowatt hour. It meets the annual power consumption of six to seven medium-sized cities. It reduces emissions of up to 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale has seven levels, ranging from zero, or the deviation, to seven, the major accident. In the past 30 years, Qinshan's operation remains at the lowest. 

The first power unit in Qinshan has been operating for over 25 years. Thus, retirement of such facilities has become the next important project for experts and technicians here. 

Zhang believes such research and practice will once again show the model effect of Qinshan in Chinese nuclear industry.