Units five and six of the Hongyan River nuclear plant received official approval from the National Development and Reform Commission on Tuesday, China General Nuclear Power (CGN), the project’s operator, said in a news release.

"After that, the National Nuclear Safety Administration will issue a construction permit. At that time, the Hongyan River program can start construction," the statement said.

It marks the first time in four years that a new nuclear project has been approved, following the country's suspension of new nuclear projects due to Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

China, with the world's largest number of nuclear power plants under construction, is now pushing ahead to embark on a program of new nuclear projects in order to reduce the proportion of fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption.

The Hongyan River nuclear plant is the first nuclear project in northeastern Liaoning province, and will involve the construction of a total of six units.

Units five and six are the second phase of the Hongyan River nuclear plant. Its first and second units have already entered the phase of commercialization. Unit three is expected to being commercial operations in the first half of this year and construction of unit four is proceeding smoothly, CGN said.