On January 20, 2026, Shanghai Xingshen Instrument Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shanghai Xingshen”) announced exciting news: the company has successfully completed the severe accident availability verification test (hydrogen explosion test) for nuclear-grade magnetic float level gauges, marking another industry milestone. The successful completion of this test not only validates the reliable performance of its products under extreme accident conditions but also signifies that Shanghai Xingshen’s HAF601 license for the design and manufacture of civil nuclear safety equipment has become the only domestic license covering nuclear-grade magnetic float level gauges and level switches for all four third-generation nuclear reactor types—Hualong One, Guohe One (CAP1400), CAP1000, and AP1000. This breakthrough effectively breaks the foreign technology monopoly and provides a more competitive, domestically produced option for both domestic and international nuclear power markets.
“As the ‘sensory nerves’ ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power plants, nuclear-grade level measurement instruments are tasked with monitoring liquid levels in critical areas such as the nuclear reactor cooling system and the containment vessel’s water immersion. Their availability under extreme operating conditions is directly linked to the safety底线 of nuclear power units. In particular, in hydrogen explosion environments during severe accidents, these instruments face extremely stringent requirements regarding their ability to withstand high temperatures, resist mechanical shocks, and endure radiation exposure. Following the Fukushima nuclear accident, the global nuclear power industry has significantly raised its verification standards for equipment availability under severe accident conditions, making hydrogen explosion testing a key threshold for nuclear-grade level measurement instruments seeking entry into the high-end market. This assessment brings together top industry experts to establish a collaborative system characterized by “joint R&D, specialized testing, and authoritative review,” providing solid assurance for the successful implementation of these advancements.”
Shanghai Xingshen Instrument Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Xingshen Instrument Co., Ltd., as a leading enterprise in China’s nuclear power instrumentation sector, has consistently relied on technological innovation to overcome critical bottlenecks. Previously, the company was the first in China to obtain the license for the design and manufacture of nuclear-grade magnetic float level gauges—civilian nuclear safety equipment—thus establishing a pioneering advantage in the industry. This latest breakthrough is inseparable from the concerted efforts of all parties across the industrial chain, highlighting the collaborative innovation strength of China’s nuclear power equipment industry.
The Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Engineering Research and Design participated fully and deeply throughout the entire R&D process, providing core technical guidance and precisely controlling key design and manufacturing milestones. At the same time, it took the lead in conducting a comprehensive review of the instrument certification report, offering authoritative technical endorsement for the compliance and reliability of the final product based on stringent standards.The National Electric Power Investment Energy Research Institute is responsible for the overall experimental work, systematically advancing a full range of qualification projects including aging, EMC, irradiation, seismic resistance, LOCA (loss-of-coolant accident), and EQ flooding. The institute rigorously simulates various operating conditions in strict accordance with international nuclear power safety standards, comprehensively verifying the structural integrity and functional stability of equipment under extreme environmental conditions, thereby laying a solid foundation for the smooth execution of the hydrogen explosion tests.
The Shanghai Institute of Instrumentation and Automatic Control Systems Testing, equipped with an internationally advanced hydrogen explosion testing facility, accurately simulated the hydrogen explosion environment under severe accident conditions, successfully completing this core verification test and providing authoritative test data that offers crucial support for ensuring the product ultimately meets the required standards.
“This groundbreaking upgrade in certification means that Shanghai Xingshen’s nuclear-grade float-type level gauges and level switches can seamlessly integrate with the four major third-generation nuclear power units, fundamentally transforming the previous situation in which such equipment had long relied on imports, leaving both technology and pricing subject to the constraints of foreign manufacturers. As a core support for ensuring national energy security and promoting the “going global” strategy for nuclear power, the localization of nuclear power equipment is of paramount importance. Today, China’s independently developed third-generation technologies—such as “Hualong One” and “Guohe One”—have become “national calling cards” in the global nuclear power market. Shanghai Xingshen Instrument’s breakthrough not only completes the domestic industrial chain for third-generation nuclear power equipment but also, thanks to its unified qualification covering multiple reactor types, provides standardized and highly reliable equipment solutions for nuclear power projects, effectively reducing construction and operation & maintenance costs.”
Chen Yao, Chairman of Shanghai Xingshen Instrument Co., Ltd., stated that the success of this test is the result of the company’s years of deep cultivation in the nuclear power instrumentation field, as well as the fruit of collaborative efforts among multiple parties. Looking ahead, the company will continue to prioritize nuclear safety, increase R&D investment, and continuously optimize product performance and quality assurance systems. In doing so, it will not only provide more reliable domestically produced equipment for China’s nuclear power projects but also actively expand into international markets, participating in global nuclear power industry competition with its own technologies and standards, thereby injecting new momentum into the independent and international development of China’s nuclear power equipment.
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