JINAN - A new research and development center was opened Tuesday in East China's Shandong province, aiming to solve technical challenges in China's domestic nuclear projects.

The center was jointly built in the coastal city of Yantai by three of China's State-owned nuclear power companies - China General Nuclear Power Corporation, China National Nuclear Corporation and State Power Investment Corporation - and privately-owned Yantai Taihai Group.

Ten research institutes established by the center will focus on a variety of areas, including utilization of nuclear power, radiation protection, energy storage and nuclear-waste treatment, according to Shu Guogang, the center's director.

The research will address the technical problems of mass production in China's third-generation domestic nuclear power projects, such as the Hualong One reactors, Shu said.

China's ranks third in the world for its output of nuclear-generated electricity, with key equipment for the country's third-generation nuclear power projects domestically manufactured, according to Zhang Huazhu, head of the China Nuclear Energy Association.