China Nuclear News Weekly Roundup - 04/01 -04/05

China Nuclear Ramping Up Construction of New Builds

On April 1st, the 2019 Spring International Summit of the China Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development Forum was held in Beijing. “China will keep developing nuclear power while safety is assured, and new projects will begin construction successively this year”, said Mr. Liu Hua, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and Administrator of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA), during the summit. Industry insiders believe that eight new builds will secure their approval this year, namely Zhangzhou Units 1&2 and Huizhou/Taipingling Units 1&2 (using the reactor design of HPR1000), as well as two VVERs at Xudapu NPP and two more at Tianwan NPP. Some are also looking for the CAP1400 demonstration project to have its FCD announced in the near future. The four HPR1000 new builds already had their FCDs announced in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports from the MEE, which will be officially confirmed after the NNSA grants their Permits of Construction.

The nuclear units under construction are also progressing well, according to Mr. Yu Jianfeng, Director of the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) and President of CNNC. The four CNNC HPR1000 units under construction, namely Fuqing Units 5&6, together with K2 and K3 in Pakistan, will begin operation on schedule or ahead of schedule. Yu also said that the High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) demonstration project in Shidaowan, Rongcheng City, Shandong Province, is currently undergoing the last few steps of commissioning and will begin operation in the early half of next year.

Taishan Unit 2 Reaching First Fuel-loading Soon

According to Mr. Liu Haijun, Vice GM of Taishan Nuclear Joint Venture Company, Taishan Unit 2, the second EPR unit in China, will load its fuel for the first time this month. The unit is projected to begin operation this summer.

Installation of ST Begins at Fuqing Unit 6

On the evening of April 1st, the bearing housing of Fuqing Unit 6’s steam turbine was successfully installed. The milestone accomplished means that the conventional island’s installation phase is now in full swing and paves the way for installation of the turbine itself.