China National Nuclear Corporation

What China National Nuclear Corporation does

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is a centrally-managed Chinese state-owned enterprise founded in 1965, operating the full nuclear fuel cycle across uranium mining, fuel fabrication, reactor design and construction, power generation, and nuclear technology applications. Headquartered in Beijing with approximately 170,000 employees and 1.7 trillion yuan in total assets, CNNC holds exclusive intellectual property over a diverse reactor portfolio including the HPR1000 (Hualong One) third-generation pressurized water reactor, the ACP100 (Linglong One) small modular reactor (the world's first commercial onshore SMR), the HTGR high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (world's first fourth-generation NPP), and the HL-3 Tokamak for fusion research.

The company's core technology stack spans proprietary nuclear reactor designs (Hualong One, Linglong One, HTGR, DHR-400 Yanlong heating reactor), advanced nuclear fuel assemblies (CF3, AP1000 fuel elements, N36 zirconium alloys), third-generation CO2+O2 in-situ uranium leaching, supercritical CO2 power generation (world's first commercial-scale, 50% efficiency improvement), and breakthrough isotope production (silicon-28 at 99.99% abundance, molybdenum-99, cobalt-60). CNNC operates 60+ commercial reactors in China with 36 under construction (125 GW installed capacity targeting 110 GW by 2030 and 200 GW by 2040), and globally has exported 7 nuclear power units to Pakistan with a target of 30 reactor exports to Belt and Road countries by 2030.

CNNC's business model operates through six primary revenue streams: nuclear power plant construction and operation (electricity sales), uranium mining and fuel supply (including Rössing Uranium in Namibia and Etango project), nuclear fuel fabrication, nuclear technology applications (radio-medicine with 70% domestic market share, cobalt-60 production at 7 million curies annually, BNCT proton therapy), nuclear technology exports (turnkey packages to BRI governments), and new energy development (wind and solar). The go-to-market model is government-to-government for international nuclear plant contracts competing against Rosatom and EDF, combined with state-planning-driven domestic construction and direct enterprise sales for nuclear technology applications. Pricing is negotiated bilaterally rather than publicly disclosed, with government financing covering approximately 70% of reactor costs at interest rates as low as 1.4%, enabling construction costs roughly one-third of US/France levels. CNNC maintains six regional offices (Moscow, Vienna, Riyadh, Abuja, Buenos Aires, Islamabad) established in 2022 to manage international operations.

Name

China National Nuclear Corporation

Legal name

China National Nuclear Corporation

Website

https://en.cnnc.com.cn

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is a centrally-managed Chinese state-owned enterprise operating the full nuclear fuel cycle — uranium mining, fuel fabrication, reactor construction (Hualong One, Linglong One, HTGR), power generation, and nuclear technology applications — serving Chinese state planning, Belt and Road governments, and global healthcare and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nuclear Power Generation

NAICS

Nuclear Electric Power Generation (221113), Electric Power Generation (22111), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Nuclear Fuel Cycle for Power Generation (Uranium, Conversion, Enrichment, Fuel Fabrication) (EUACADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Uranium Mining & Milling (Yellowcake/U3O8 Production) (EUAKACAB), Uranium Refining & Conversion (U3O8 to UF6/UO2) (EUAKACAC), Fuel Cycle Support Services (Engineering, licensing support, conversion/enrichment contracting) (EUAKACAL), Nuclear Plant EPC & Construction (EUAEAAAC), Research & Test Reactor Operations (Non-Commercial Power) (EUACADAH)

Keywords

• Nuclear power generation
• Nuclear fuel fabrication
• Uranium mining services
• Nuclear engineering construction
• Radioactive isotope production

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Nuclear Power Plant Construction and Operation: CNNC designs, constructs, and operates nuclear power plants both domestically and internationally, generating electricity revenue from plant operations
2. Uranium Mining and Fuel Supply: CNNC operates uranium mines including Rössing Uranium in Namibia and Etango project, providing nuclear fuel for domestic and international customers with long-term offtake agreements securing 60% of Etango project lifetime production
3. Nuclear Fuel Fabrication: Mass production of nuclear fuel assemblies including CF3 fuel, AP1000 fuel elements, and high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel. CNNC has established integrated uranium purification and conversion technology with 10,000-ton uranium conversion center
4. Nuclear Technology Applications: Radioactive medicine production (70% domestic market share), radiation processing services, nuclear instruments and apparatus, and cobalt-60 production (7 million curies annually, 70% domestic market, exported worldwide). BNCT proton therapy systems
5. Nuclear Technology Exports: Export of nuclear technology including Hualong One reactors to Pakistan (K-2/K-3), with turnkey packages covering financing, construction, and fuel supply. Target of exporting 30 reactors to Belt and Road countries by 2030, potentially worth $145 billion
6. New Energy Development: Wind power and photovoltaic power generation through China Rich Energy Corporation Limited with industry scale target of 1 million kW. Seven wind power plants operating in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Hainan provinces with 493.5 MW installed capacity

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) designs, constructs, and operates commercial nuclear power reactors, mines and processes uranium, fabricates nuclear fuel assemblies, and produces nuclear technology applications including medical isotopes, cobalt-60, and radiation processing equipment. The company also delivers turnkey nuclear power packages covering financing, construction, fuel supply, and operational support to international customers, alongside wind and photovoltaic power generation, nuclear environmental protection services, and finance operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hualong One (HPR1000): Third-generation nuclear reactor technology with independent intellectual property rights, one of the world's most deployed third-generation nuclear reactor designs
• Linglong One (ACP100)
• I-Nuclear
• DHR-400 (Yanlong)
• HTGR
• HL-3

Products and services

• Hualong One (HPR1000) Third-Generation Nuclear Reactor Third-generation pressurized water reactor with million-kilowatt capacity, exclusive intellectual property rights, advanced safety features incorporating lessons from Fukushima, and 90% domestic component localization. Sold to international nuclear utilities and governments as turnkey reactor packages.
• Linglong One (ACP100) Small Modular Reactor World's first onshore modular small reactor for power generation, heating, steam production and seawater desalination. Highly secure distributed clean energy source deployable near towns and industrial parks, with annual output of 1 billion kWh for 526,000 households.
• HTGR High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor World's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant with inherent safety features, applicable to petrochemicals, coal gasification and liquefaction, steelmaking reduction, thermochemical hydrogen production, and viscous-oil thermal recovery.
• DHR-400 (Yanlong) Low-Temperature Heating Reactor Pool-type low-temperature heating reactor providing green zero-emission urban heating, suitable for industrial parks and district heating applications.
• CF3 Nuclear Fuel Assemblies New-generation nuclear fuel assemblies for pressurized water reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and AP1000 reactors. Mass-produced at CNNC's integrated uranium purification and conversion facilities with 10,000-ton uranium conversion center capacity.
• Uranium Mining and Supply Uranium resource extraction through third-generation CO2+O2 green in-situ leaching technology and global mining operations including Rössing Uranium in Namibia and Etango project. Provides nuclear fuel supply security through long-term offtake agreements.
• Nuclear Medicine and Radioisotope Products One-stop nuclear medicine solutions including radioactive pharmaceuticals, medical isotopes, cobalt-60 sources (largest supplier in China, third globally), and BNCT proton therapy systems. Holds 70% domestic market share in radioactive medicine and is the only Chinese company producing radioactive sources for medical purposes.
• Nuclear Engineering and Construction Services Turnkey nuclear power plant construction, engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) services, and technical support through the I-Nuclear service brand. Delivered through China Nuclear Power Engineering (CNPE) and China Nuclear Industry 23 Construction subsidiaries for both domestic and international nuclear projects.
• Chaotan One Supercritical CO2 Waste-Heat Power Plant World's first commercial-scale supercritical carbon dioxide waste-heat power generation technology with 30 MW combined installed capacity. Improves efficiency by over 50% compared to traditional steam power systems, adapted from nuclear reactor research for industrial waste heat recovery.
• Wind and Photovoltaic Power Generation Renewable energy generation through China Rich Energy Corporation Limited with seven wind power plants totaling 493.5 MW installed capacity across Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Hainan provinces, with industry scale target of 1 million kW.
• HL-3 Tokamak Fusion Experimental Device Fusion experimental device at international advanced level carrying on R&D and equipment manufacturing of core components for the ITER Project. First to develop artificial sun vacuum interior components and thermal-helium leakage-detecting facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hualong One reactor generates over 10 billion kWh annually, meeting energy needs of one million people in a mid-level developed country while reducing coal consumption by 3.12 million tons and carbon emissions by 8.16 million tons annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, significant and flagship.

• Bannerman EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026CNNC acquired 42.75% stake in Namibia's Etango uranium project through $321.5 million investment, securing 60% of project's lifetime production through long-term offtake agreements. Bannerman Energy retains 52.25% ownership and operational control. Project targeted to produce 52.6 million pounds of uranium over 15+ year operational lifespan.
• Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026CNNC collaborating with Jiangnan Shipyard on nuclear-powered maritime projects including nuclear-powered container ships and nuclear-powered icebreakers. National Nuclear Safety Administration granted Jiangnan Shipyard civil nuclear safety equipment license for reactor containment vessels and control rod drive mechanisms for small floating reactors.
• Brazil Ministry of Mines and EnergysignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Brazil's Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira met with CNNC executives in Shanghai to deepen bilateral dialogue on nuclear cooperation including small modular reactors and uranium chain development. Discussions aimed to support Brazil's energy diversification and advance completion of Angra 3 nuclear power plant.
• Alibaba GroupsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic alliance for reliable electricity supply for Alibaba's expanding AI operations. Collaboration addresses growing energy demands of AI data centers requiring substantial power resources.
• Tsinghua UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Joint development of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology. CNNC and Tsinghua jointly developed the world's first fourth-generation NPP with inherent safety features.
• Kazakhstan GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025CNNC awarded contracts alongside Russia's Rosatom in June 2025 to build nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan selected China's National Nuclear Corp to build two reactors while Russia's Rosatom constructs the country's first nuclear plant.
• Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2025Joint development and operation of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant K-2/K-3 units using Hualong One technology. K-3 unit passed final acceptance on April 18, 2025, marking successful delivery of both overseas Hualong One units. CNNC and PAEC jointly signed the acceptance certificate, reaffirming technological maturity and international adaptability of China's self-developed third-generation nuclear technology.
• ITER OrganizationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2025CNNC-led consortium (China Nuclear Power Engineering Co. Ltd) installed the first vacuum vessel module (Module 7) of ITER on April 10, 2025. The consortium brought together capabilities of Chinese, French, and Italian companies. ITER Director-General praised this achievement as reflection of outstanding expertise. Module 7 was completed three weeks ahead of schedule.
• Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2024CNNC subsidiary CIRC won bid for gamma irradiation station project from BINA with designed capacity of over one million curies. First overseas EPC project won by CIRC for irradiation station design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning.
• FramatomesignificantTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2023French nuclear manufacturer Framatome secured multiple orders from CNNC and China General Nuclear Power Group during the eighth China International Import Expo. Agreements involve fuel, control systems, and technical services. Framatome also maintains partnerships in nuclear fusion technology with China.
• China General Nuclear Power GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Joint development of Hualong One reactor technology. Both CNNC and CGN co-developed the HPR1000 which has become one of the world's most deployed third-generation nuclear reactor designs.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Électricité de France (EDF): France's state-owned nuclear utility and a global nuclear vendor with EPR technology, explicitly named as a CNNC competitor in international nuclear plant contracts. Both firms compete for turnkey nuclear projects in emerging markets and operate comparable SOE structures with state-backed financing.
• Rosatom: Russian state nuclear corporation and CNNC's closest direct competitor in international nuclear plant tenders. Both offer turnkey Gen-III reactor packages with sovereign financing to emerging-market governments, and Rosatom was co-selected alongside CNNC for Kazakhstan's nuclear program in June 2025.
• Westinghouse Electric Company: US-based Gen-III reactor vendor (AP1000) competing head-to-head with CNNC's Hualong One in international tenders, including recent wins in Central/Eastern Europe. Both target the same emerging-market customer base for turnkey nuclear packages with sovereign financing structures.
• China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN): China's second state-owned nuclear power conglomerate and co-developer of the Hualong One reactor technology alongside CNNC. Operates domestic Gen-III reactor fleet and pursues similar export strategies, making it the closest domestic peer.
• Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP): South Korea's state-owned nuclear utility and exporter of APR1400 reactors, explicitly identified as a CNNC competitor for international nuclear plant contracts. Both compete in emerging markets with state-backed financing and integrated construction-to-fuel capabilities.

Emerging players

• NuScale Power: US-based SMR developer competing in the same small modular reactor category as CNNC's Linglong One (ACP100). Both target distributed nuclear applications including industrial power, district heating, and remote-grid electrification, though NuScale remains pre-commercial relative to Linglong One's 2026 commercial operation.
• BWX Technologies: US nuclear components and naval reactor manufacturer with growing presence in commercial nuclear fuel and medical isotopes. Comparable to CNNC's nuclear technology applications segment, particularly in radioisotope production for medical and industrial uses.

Broad incumbents

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries: Japanese industrial conglomerate with nuclear power plant division offering PWR technology and components. Overlaps with CNNC in nuclear component supply and Gen-III reactor engineering but operates as part of a broader industrial portfolio rather than a nuclear pure-play.
• Cameco Corporation: World's largest publicly traded uranium producer and a key fuel-cycle peer to CNNC's Rössing/Etango uranium mining operations. Cameco supplies Western nuclear utilities with uranium fuel, overlapping with CNNC's upstream nuclear fuel cycle business.

Regional players

• Kazatomprom: Kazakhstan's state-owned uranium mining company and CNNC's emerging partner (June 2025 nuclear cooperation agreement). Comparable in uranium mining scale and SOE structure, though operating as a regional uranium supplier rather than a full nuclear vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CN_Nuclear_Corp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chinanationalnuclearcorp?si=tUwc32Z_Ev3lWCj1
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChinaNationalNuclear
• Instagraminstagram.com/cnnc_2024?igsh=cHJidm9jNHdzbDZm
• TikToken.cnnc.com.cn/2024-10/11/c_1030960.htm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about China National Nuclear Corporation