Nuclear News Weekly Roundup - 03/31 - 04/06
NEA Director Nur Bekri: Promote Nuclear Power Development Safely and Steadily; Solve the Issue of Clean Energy Being Under-dispatched
Mr. Nur Bekri, Director of the National Energy Administration (NEA) and Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), was recently interviewed by the People’s Daily publication regarding the direction and focus of Chinese energy development strategy in the wake of the 19th CCP National Congress. On the topic of nuclear power development, Bekri said that China will promote nuclear power development safely and steadily and make great efforts to solve the issue of clean energy being under-dispatched.
Based on public available information, in the past decade, the growth rate of national power demand slowed down each year yet newly installed capacity increased constantly at the rate of over 8% annually. As a result, capacity factors of NPPs nationwide have degraded over the past several years. In 2015 and 2016, average utilization rates of NPPs were 83.3% and 79.55%.
Zhangzhou and Taipingling (Huizhou) Projects Ready for FCD on Merged HPR1000 Design
Hualong Pressurized Water Reactor Technology Corporation announced during the 15th China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition that the first-ever merged design of HPR1000 will be built at CNNC’s Zhangzhou NPP project and CGN’s Huizhou/Taipingling project. CNNC and CGN representatives said that both Zhangzhou and Huizhou/Taipingling are on schedule for FCDs in 2018 and are waiting for FCD license approval from Chinese government.
Hualong pressurized water reactor technology is China’s self-developed Gen III nuclear technology, created through a fusion of CNNC’s ACP1000 design and CGN’s ACPR1000+ design. Among the current HPR1000 demonstration projects under construction, Fuqing Units 5&6 are derived from the CGN design while CNNC’s HRP1000 at Fangchenggang Units 3&4 are developed from the ACP1000 technology. Under the NEA’s guidance, the technology integration plan was initiated in 2013. In 2015, the first round of integration was completed and the demonstration projects at Fuqing and Fangchenggang were approved to start construction. The second round completed in July 2017 and passed NEA evaluation. The merged HPR1000 design is now ready for immediate new build deployments according to Mr. Zhao Chengkun, Deputy Director of CNEA and former Director of NNSA. Mr. Zhao has argued that the HRP1000 design is very safe and has many advantages compared to other international Gen III technologies. Thus, he has mad vocal appeals for immediate FCDs of subsequent HPR1000 projects, saying that it’s unnecessary to wait until the completion and grid connection of the demonstration projects (in Fuqing & Fangchenggang)
China has not issued any approval for NPP new builds since late 2016.
Major Crane at Fuqing Unit 5’s CIs Completed Load Tests
The 350/60-ton bridge cranes at Fuqing Unit 5’s conventional islands (CIs) completed load tests recently. All CI cranes are available for usage at this point. Completion of load tests paved the way for subsequent installation work. The major crane is the most important hoisting equipment at CIs. It has two bridge cranes and will lift all CIs’ important equipment during the phases of construction, installation, and maintenance.
Progress on Development & Manufacturing of Various NPP Components
Shanghai Electric successfully completed manufacturing of the reactor internals for Fuqing Unit 5, as well as the steam turbine welded rotors for export to the Karachi HPR1000 project; Ningxia Gongxiang Steel Forging Company and Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Metal Research made technological breakthroughs on development of high pressure cylinder’s castings for Karachi Unit 3; Jiamusi Electric Machine Company of Harbin Electric manufactured China’s first auxiliary generators for residual heat removal pumps.
Timetable for Travelling Wave Reactor (TWR) Development Revealed
CNNC revealed its roadmap for the development of the travelling wave reactor (TWR) during the 15th China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition. According to CNNC, a 300MV demonstration unit will be built around mid-2020s; meanwhile, manufacturing and supply chain of the metallic fuel assemblies will be localized. By 2030, a 600 MW commercial scale unit will be developed and constructed; and by mid-2030s, CNNC will target completion of a scaled-up 1200 MW design for construction.