On August 3, Unit 8 of CNNC's Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, invested in and operated by China National Nuclear Power Co Ltd, a subsidiary of CNNC, successfully completed its cold functional test. This marks the unit's transition from the installation phase to the commissioning phase, laying a firm foundation for subsequent hot functional testing and fuel loading.

Cold functional testing is a major integrated commissioning procedure for nuclear power plants. It verifies the performance of the primary circuit system, equipment and auxiliary pipelines under high pressure, with relevant tests conducted on the main and auxiliary systems at various pressure levels. It serves as the first comprehensive "health check" of reactor performance.

Construction of Unit 8 officially began on February 25, 2022. Key milestones, including dome lifting, main pipeline welding, and cold functional testing, have been completed. Next, the unit will undergo containment pressure testing, hot functional testing, fuel loading, criticality testing, turbine start-up, grid connection and tests at various power levels.

To date, Tianwan Nuclear Power Units 1–6 have maintained safe, stable and efficient operation, with more than 500 billion kWh of electricity safely supplied to the grid. Their long-term safety and operational performance rank among the best for similar units worldwide.

Once Units 7 and 8 are fully operational, the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant will generate 18.8 billion kWh of electricity annually, equivalent to reducing CO₂ emissions by 15.34 million metric tons each year. This will help accelerate the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries in Jiangsu and strengthen energy security for the East China power grid and the wider region.