Construction starts on second Hainan reactor
22 November 2010
A ceremony has been held to mark the official start of construction at the second unit of the Changjiang nuclear power plant on China's southern island province of Hainan, China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) announced.
.jpg "Changjiang 2 November 2010 (CNNC)") |
| The two reactors comprising Phase 1 of the Changjiang plant are now under construction (Image: CNNC) |
During the ceremony, held on 21 November, the first tank of concrete was poured into the foundations of Unit 2 of the Changjiang plant. The event was attended by national and regional dignitaries and company representatives.
The Changjiang plant, near Hoi Mei Tong village, is being built as a joint venture between CNNC and China Huaneng Group (CHNG). CHNG holds a 49% share in Hainan Nuclear Power Co Ltd, with CNNC holding the remaining 51%. The Changjiang plant will eventually comprise four 650 MWe CNP-600 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and will be built in two phases.
The second phase of the Qinshan nuclear power plant (Units 3 and 4) in Zhejiang province, which also comprises two CNP-600 units, is being used as the reference plant for the first two units (Phase 1) at Changjiang.
Initial approval for the construction of the Changjiang plant was granted by China's National Developmental and Reform Commission (NDRC）in July 2008. Site works began in December 2008. Construction of Unit 1 began on 25 April 2010 and the reactor is scheduled to begin operating by the end of 2014. Unit 2 is set to start up in 2015.
The total cost of the first two units is put at some 20 billion yuan ($3 billion). More than 70% of the equipment for the Changjiang plant is to be made in China.
According to CNNC, the construction of the nuclear power reactors on Hainan will reduce the province's consumption of coal by more than 300 million tonnes annually.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News