China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC), the country's major nuclear power plants builder, expects to start construction of its Hainan nuclear power plant at the end of this year.

The company also expects to start building the second phase of the Tianwan nuclear power project by the end of next year, Qian Tianlin, a CNNC executive said yesterday.

The Hainan project, located in the Changjiang county, is designed to have two 650 mW reactors. It will use second-generation nuclear technology.