The Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Station, the first nuclear power plant in Northeast China, became fully operational on Thursday, said China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), the country's largest nuclear operator.

According to a statement by CGN, the sixth generating unit at the nuclear power plant was ready for commercial operations on Thursday after 168 hours of trial runs.

With all six units becoming fully operational, this nuclear power plant has reached an important milestone. With a total installed capacity of over 6.71 million kilowatts, it is the largest operating nuclear power plant in China so far.

It is also the largest electric energy investment project in northeast China, CGN said.

After construction started in August 2007, the first phase saw four generating units put into use by 2016, and the construction of two more generating units for the second phase began in 2015. It has substantially contributed to stabilizing northeastern China's regional power supply.

The six units can generate 48 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the total electricity consumption in Liaoning province, it said.

Compared to coal-fired power plants, the nuclear power plant could save 14.52 million tons of coal consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 39.93 million tons a year, equivalent to planting 108,000 hectares of trees, said the company.

[email protected]