Reactor vessel installed at Yangjiang 2

21 February 2013

The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) has been lowered into place at unit 2 of the Yangjiang nuclear power plant, under construction in China's Guangdong province. The reactor is set to start operating next year.

Yangjiang 2 RPV (CNECC)
Workers manoeuvre the giant component into place (Image: CNECC)

Plant constructor China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation (CNECC) said that Yangjiang 2's RPV was installed on 18 February. The target is to complete the installation of all the remaining heavy equipment - including the three steam generators - at the 1080 MWe CPR-1000 unit by 15 March. The steam generators arrived at the site last month.

Yangjiang 2 is one of four reactors being built at the site by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC). Construction of unit 1 started in December 2008, with work on unit 2 beginning in 2009, unit 3 in 2010 and unit 4 in late 2012. The first unit is scheduled to begin generating power later this year with the remainder following to 2017. Two further units are planned for Yangjiang but their schedules have been subject to review.

The Yangjiang plant will be operated by the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Company - a joint venture between CGNPC and Hong Kong's China Light and Power. The company already manages the Daya Bay, Ling Ao and Ling Ao Phase II nuclear power plants.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News