China developing world's smallest nuclear power plant: report

China is developing the world's smallest nuclear reactor that, reports say, is smaller than a shipping container and can provide enough energy to power 50,000 households.

Representative image

The power plant, proposed to be installed on an island in the disputed South China Sea, could run for decades without needing to be refueled, says a report in the South China Morning Post.

The mini reactor generating 10 megawatts of energy could go into operation within five years, according to the report.

Known as hedianbao, or 'portable nuclear battery pack', the tiny power plant would measure just 20 feet (6.1 metres) by 8.5 feet (2.6 metres), reports Stephen Chen for the South China Morning Post.

The lead-cooled reactor could potentially run for years or even decades before needing to be refueled.

The research is being carried out by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology and is being partly funded by the People's Liberation Army.

'Part of our funding came from the military, but we hope – and it's our ultimate goal – that the technology will eventually benefit civilian users,' Professor Huang Qunying, a nuclear scientist ­involved in the research, told the South China Morning Post.

The miniature power plant would enable the researchers to desalinate large amounts of seawater for use as freshwater.

Experts, however, warn that any failure or incidents at the plant causing leakage of radioactive material could be catastrophic, considering the location of the plant.

They also warn that any rise temperature in the surrounding seas, potentially resulting from the power plant's placement, could dramatically affect the local marine life.

Chinese researchers believe that that the 'fast reactor' - one that uses fast neutrons to split fuel atoms – are safer than other types of reactors. However, convincing the public of the plant's safety will still be a challenge, reports the South China Morning Post.