Orders for Chinese program

02 July 2009

Chinese nuclear build continues apace with procurements for multi-unit power plants Hongyanhe and Ningde while 2020 targets could again be upwardly revised.

 

Hongyanhe
How Hongyanhe will look, sooner rather
than later given current rates of progress.
Four reactors make up Phase I of
development, the extra two are Phase II
Having already won a contract for a simulator for Hongyanhe 1 and 2, Canada's L3-MAPPS has now been picked to provide another for Hongyanhe 3 and 4. 
 
The plant's first two nuclear power generators are currently under construction on the Hongyan river in Liaoning province with first concrete for those coming in August 2007 and April 2008. First concrete at Hongyanhe 3 was poured on 15 March this year with the same for Hongyanhe 4 set for 15 September.

 

A similar plant, also based on domestic CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors, is being built at Ningde in Fujian province. The first two units there had first concrete in February and November 2008, the second two are set for 15 November this year and July 2010.

 

Both the plants are based on the domestic CPR-1000 design and are being managed by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) which is the lead partner in both projects They will both also feature forged steel valves from China Valves Technology after a contract signed a few days ago. CGNPC has paid 10% of the contract value up front, with the rest due on delivery. Half of the valves are required by the end of this year, with the others before March 2010.

 

L-3 MAPPS is providing the process simulation and virtual back-up panels for the new Hongyanhe simulator with Mitsubishi Electric supplying safety-related digital control systems. China Techergy is to provide non-safety digital control systems and a Beijing staging facility for testing. That company is also providing similar kit for two of the Ningde units as well as some more at Dalian, also in Liaoning.

 

L-3 said that the simulators it has already supplied to CGNPC for Ling Ao and Daya Bay in Guandong province are operating six shifts per day, with availability of 99.8%. Essentially CGNPC's program of CPR-1000 building aims to duplicate the Ling Ao plant across the country.

 

Another target hike?

 

The rapid pace of China's nuclear energy growth was further emphasised today as China Daily reported rumours that targets for 2020 nuclear capacity could be revised to 86 GWe.

 

Despite some observers' skepticism, the targets for 2020 have already been upwardly revised several times. The first figure was 40 GWe by 2020, which was later upscaled to 60 GWe and in April this year was changed again for 70 GWe. The latest potential figure of 86 GWe of nucelar would would place the Chinese fleet second in the world rankings, behind the USA's current 100 GWe but ahead of France's 63 GWe and Japan's 46 GWe.