Bridging and tunnelling to new AP1000s
08 July 2010
China National Nuclear Company has celebrated the completion of the access road to the Taohuajiang nuclear power plant of inland Hunan province. Quite a feat of construction, it stretches only 7.5 kilometres from Taojiang, near Yueyang City on the Zi Shui river, but includes a 109-metre bridge, two 24-metre bridges, some 32 culverts totalling 1.2 kilometres and as well as an 855-metre section of tunnel. Designed for travel at up to 60 kilometres per hour, it will greatly improve overall transport in the area as well as allow passage of heavy components to the gates of the power plant. Taohuajiang is to be China's first inland nuclear power plant and will feature four Westinghouse AP1000s cooled by natural draft towers to avoid impacting their riverside location. Contracts for the construction would appear to be imminent.