China Nuclear News Weekly Roundup - 6/25 - 6/30
Sanmen Unit 1, world’s first AP1000 connected to the external power grid.
On in the early morning hours of June 30th, Sanmen Unit 1 achieved its first connection to the electrical grid with a low-power generating capacity of 65MWe. Sanmen Unit 1 began fuel loading on April 25th and reached its first criticality on the early morning hours of June 21st. Sanmen Unit 1 achieved grid connection approximately 8 hours after Taishan Unit 1 reached the same milestone on June 29, becoming China’s second third-generation nuclear power reactor to be connected to the grid and the world’s first AP1000 to reach this milestone.
Taishan Unit 1, world’s first EPR connected to the external power grid
In the evening of June 29th, Taishan Unit 1 was connected to the electrical grid for the first time and began generating electricity. As a third generation EPR nuclear reactor, Taishan Unit 1 is the first of its kind to connect to the electrical grid and generate electricity. Taishan Unit1 is expected to reach full-power operation in the third quarter this year. Taishan Unit 1 started construction in 2009, while Taishan Unit 2 started construction in 2010 and is expected to enter service next year. They are the 3rd and 4th EPR 3G PWR nuclear reactors to start construction in the world, after the EPR projects in Flamanville, France and Okiluoto, Finland.
Progress: Tianwan Unit 5 started the lifting process for its main equipment
In recent days, the shell of Tianwan Unit 5 coolant pump was flipped and 20 meters above the ground, kicking off the lifting process for Unit 5. The flipping process was completed by the hoisting unit independently. The pump shell weighs about 30 tons and satisfies the maximum levels of quality and safety. Tianwan Unit 5 is a Generation 2+ CPR1000 design. This reactor design is employed at 22 other units within China, forming the backbone of the current operating Chinese fleet. Tianwan 5 began construction in 2016 and is projected to be connected to the grid in 2020.
SNERDI cooperating with Alibaba Cloud to develop intelligent nuclear power
On June 26th, Alibaba Cloud signed a strategic cooperation contract with SNERDI to push forward the development of intelligent nuclear power. This cooperation will use cloud computing and other technologies to benefit the industry chain partners and contribute to the digital transformation of the nuclear industry.
CGN announces joint venture with Rolls Royce to provide I&C integrated Solutions
On June 26th at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris, CGN subsidiary CTEC signed an agreement with Rolls-Royce, the British engineering group to provide instrumentation and control (I&C) integrated solutions to the global nuclear market. Under this agreement, Rolls-Royce and CTEC also committed to release a new distributed control system platform derived from a combination of their existing digital and analog technologies.
Hualong One First Export: the core instrumentation system has passed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAC)
On June 25th, the Pakistani Karachi Unit 2 core instrumentation system, designed and manufactured by NPIC, passed its FAC. The successful delivery of this system indicates that the self-developed precision and control instrumentation by NIPC will be officially exported—this is part of the Hualong One project’s “Going Out” strategy. A week earlier, on June 18th, the first export Hualong One reactor at Karachi Unit 2 finished its main pipeline welding.
CGN intends to raise 15 billion CNY, indicating the acceleration of NPP construction
On June 22nd, the China Securities Regulatory Commission revealed the A share listing files of CGN. CGN intends to issue no more than 50.5 billion shares to raise about 15 billion CNY (approximately USD 225M), which will be invested in Yangjiang Unit 5 & 6 and Fangchenggang Unit 3&4. According to the files, CGN has 20 operating NPPs with installed capacity about 21.5 GW, or 59.96% of all the operating NPPs in China. It also has 8 under construction, with installed capacity about 10.2 GW, taking up 46.10% of all the NPPs under construction. CGN is the largest nuclear power operator in China and the largest nuclear power constructor worldwide.
CGN’s Hualong One (HPR 1000) demonstration project RCP shell passed its hydrostatic test
On June 19th, the first reactor coolant pump shell of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant Phase II passed its factory hydrostatic testing. The successful outcome lays a solid foundation for the delivery of the pump and helps to ensure that the installation work will be carried out on schedule.
CEEC’s Hunan Subsidiary won the bid to design and upgrade Daya Bay’s electric control circuit system
On June 12th, CEEC’s Hunan subsidiary won the bid to design and upgrade Daya Bay’s GEW electric control circuit system. The contract involves preliminary design, construction plans, as-built drawings, and other design services. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base consists of two plants: Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station and Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station, with 6 reactors total. The first 984 MWe reactor at Daya Bay was put into commercial operation on May 6, 1994.