China's first nuclear-based steam generation project began production on Wednesday, state-run China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) said in a Wechat post announcing the latest step in Chinese efforts to decarbonise heavy industry.

The Heqi No. 1 project at the Tianwan nuclear plant in eastern Jiangsu province produces steam to be used by a petrochemicals operation in the port city of Lianyungang.

The project and the Tianwan plant are run by CNNC's China National Nuclear Power Co (601985.SS)

Integrating nuclear power plants with other applications, such as cooling and heating, is termed cogeneration and can have economic and environmental benefits, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.

In December 2022 the Qinshan plant in eastern Zhejiang province became the first project to supply nuclear-generated thermal energy for industrial use.