China Nuclear News Weekly Roundup – 12/24 - 01/04

Zero FCDs in 2018 and Outlook for 2019

In the end, the year 2018 witnessed zero new FCDs for Chinese nuclear new builds.

In December 2018, the Shidaowan CAP1400 project was greenlighted to begin construction, but the nuclear island’s first barrel of safety-related concrete has yet to be poured. The latest information indicates that construction will begin soon (but no official date has been publicized). With the first wave of AP1000 units except Haiyang Unit 2 all in commercial operation, preparation for further approved AP1000 sites is under way. Sanmen Units 3&4, Haiyang Units 3&4, Xudapu Units 1&2, and Lufeng Units 1&2, all pre-approved for AP1000 reactor design, will likely proceed to the construction stage in 2019.

Nicobar note: As long as US nuclear technology exports to CGN are restricted, CGN’s AP1000 at Lufeng faces an uncertain future, a point not mentioned in the source news article.

Qinghai Province Plans for Inland Nuclear Project

On December 29th, the Qinghai provincial government released its National Clean Energy Demonstration Province Development Plan (2018-2020), stating that early stage work on NPP site surveys as well as nuclear heating projects will be promoted. This Plan also mentions specifically that site surveys will take place in the Golmud and Delingha areas, with feasibility reports on NPP and nuclear heating projects to hopefully be concluded by the end of 2020. Following Gansu’s plan to build a 2MW capacity NPP announced in October 2018, Qinghai is the second northwestern Chinese province to make a bid for civil nuclear projects. This is also seen as a sign that China is reviving its inland NPP projects.

Progress of NPPs Under Construction

Fuqing Unit 6’s first steam generator was lifted onto the containment building’s 16.5m platform on December 23rd.

Hongyanhe Unit 6 began its primary pipe welding on December 15th and has now entered the nuclear island installation phase.