Driving out from the Xiangshan toll station in Ningbo, Zhejiang, and passing through over twenty villages, Jinqimen Village finally comes into view. Although the fishing village should be entering its quietest time of the year during the lunar month, another kind of "tide" is rising along the coastline. As the Spring Festival approaches, construction is in full swing at the Jinqimen Nuclear Power Project—the country's first nuclear power plant designed with forward digital methods—located in this small fishing village by the East China Sea.

How complex is it to build a nuclear power station? With tens of thousands of pieces of equipment, hundreds of systems, and a construction cycle spanning several years, any misalignment of information in any link could pose risks. In traditional nuclear power plant construction, communication between various units, disciplines, and stages relies on two-dimensional drawings, which can lead to information loss with each handover, as well as issues like data silos, information discrepancies, inconsistent standards, and redundant modeling.

Aiming to create a digital twin nuclear power station, the Jinqimen project stands out from the beginning: from the design phase through construction and operation, it can be "rehearsed" and optimized in a virtual digital world. Full lifecycle digitalization means "one model from start to finish," enabling cross-organizational and cross-system data sharing and secure transfer.

"Building and operating a digital nuclear power plant is like 'manufacturing a car' and 'driving it,'" said Yang Yunfei, a "Zhejiang Craftsman" and chief technician at CNNC Zhejiang Energy Co., Ltd. "During the 'manufacturing' phase, data from design, equipment, and construction must be consolidated. In the 'driving' phase, this data is utilized to ensure safer and more efficient operation."

He explained that under this model, everything from a small bolt to a containment vessel approximately 70 meters in diameter can be precisely replicated in digital space. Processes, equipment relationships, and operational simulations can be validated in the virtual system beforehand, allowing potential deviations and risks to be identified and resolved early.

To accurately create this digital blueprint, before construction began, over 200 professionals from design institutes, universities, equipment manufacturers, and construction companies surveyed all accessible nuclear power plants in China. They identified over 300 business scenarios and more than 1,150 lessons learned, compiling a digital需求 analysis report exceeding 300,000 words. This laid a solid foundation for a fully three-dimensional model-driven design across all domains.

In the future, this model will serve as the foundational platform for digital applications, enabling seamless construction data integration, standardized work order management, and intelligent risk control, among other functions.

Modularization and Intelligence: Advanced Quality Throughout the Process

The concept of advanced quality permeates the entire construction system as the digital nuclear power plant takes shape. The Jinqimen project adopts an advanced "modular" construction approach—essentially prefabricating the main structural "building blocks" off-site and assembling them on-site like Lego pieces.

For example, in traditional construction, workers might spend half a month manually tying rebar for a single wall on-site, amidst dense scaffolding, piles of steel bars, and bustling laborers, posing safety hazards. At the Jinqimen site, entire wall reinforcement cages are formed at once by robots in a "prefabrication factory." Once transported to the site, these modules are lifted, aligned, and fixed into place, significantly improving both efficiency and safety.

While modular construction addresses "how to build," the smart site system tackles "how to manage." Inside the project's smart site control room, a large wall screen displays real-time footage, personnel distribution, and environmental data from across the construction area. With a click, staff can view details such as wind speed, temperature, and worker count at any specific workface.

"Jinqimen is the first nuclear power project in China to establish a smart site framework even before construction commenced," Yang Yunfei noted. The smart site system comprises 86 functional modules, 15 of which are already operational. To enhance digital monitoring and reduce costs, the project also employs remote panoramic surveillance and drone patrol systems, enabling comprehensive, real-time oversight and dynamic scene analysis.

This system implements精细化管理围绕施工安全、工程质量、and environmental protection, making nuclear power construction safer, more standardized, and more intelligent.

Meeting the Needs of the Era: From Nuclear Power to "Nuclear Energy Plus"

Building a advanced-quality nuclear power project requires a modern industrial workforce to match. Wang Wenqing, a frontline constructor at Jinqimen who has worked on multiple nuclear projects, has witnessed the changes brought by digitalization firsthand.

"When I first started, some workers on-site couldn't even write their own names," he recalled. "Now, the construction platform is filled with data packages and work packages. Workers need to operate smart devices and navigate system processes—they must evolve with the times."

Simultaneously, he observes another shift. To strengthen the talent foundation, the Jinqimen project is collaborating with local authorities in Xiangshan County and participating units to form a "Jinqimen Nuclear Power Project Industrial Workforce Development Alliance." This initiative aims to establish mechanisms for attracting, training, effectively utilizing, and retaining skilled nuclear industry workers.

As a "Zhejiang Craftsman," Yang Yunfei recognizes his responsibility in passing on skills and nurturing talent. He also leads a Ningbo Skills Master Studio, which has already produced two more "Zhejiang Craftsmen." He likens his mission to "growing radishes": "After growing well yourself, you must cultivate the next batch."

From engineering to talent development, the Jinqimen project both rides the tide of the times and responds to its demands. In recent years, Zhejiang has been accelerating efforts to become a pioneer in building a new energy system. Given growing electricity demand and the need for energy structure transformation, nuclear power is becoming a key long-term power source and a major component of non-fossil energy in the province.

Once operational, the Jinqimen Nuclear Power Project is expected to generate 55 billion kilowatt-hours annually—equivalent to half of Ningbo's total electricity consumption projected for 2025. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 45 million tons per year, roughly equal to the carbon sequestration of 65 Dongqian Lake-sized forests.

"But its value goes far beyond power generation," Yang Yunfei added. Looking further ahead, the project's development blueprint includes nuclear heating, industrial steam supply, and medical isotope production.