The Chinese government has approved construction of two more units at the China General Nuclear (CGN) Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in Liaoning province, marking the first approval for new reactors in four years, says World Nuclear News.

CGN must now obtain construction permits from the National Nuclear Security Administration for the two units—likely to be Chinese-developed Hualong One reactors—before construction can begin.

The Hongyanhe site already hosts four CPR-1000 units. Units 1 and 2 have been in commercial operation since June 2013 and May 2014, respectively. Units 3 and 4 are both scheduled to start up this year.

Just days after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011, China's State Council halted approvals and licensing for new reactors until a safety plan was put in place. It also suspended work on four approved units due to start construction in 2011. Power generation continued at reactors in operation at that time, as well as construction work on the 25 units that had been approved.

In October 2012, then Premier Wen Jiabao announced a return to constructing new nuclear power plants. The construction of previously approved projects began shortly afterwards.

China currently has 23 nuclear power reactors in operation, with a combined capacity of 20,115 megawatt electrical (MWe). An additional 26 units, with a combined capacity of more than 28,000 MWe are under construction.