Fuel loading starts at new Chinese reactor

22 April 2010

The initial loading of fuel into the reactor core has begun at unit 1 of the second phase of the Ling Ao nuclear power plant in Guangdong province, China.

 

Ling Ao II 1 fuel loading (CGNPC)
Workers begin loading fuel into the reactor core of unit 1 of Ling Ao Phase II (Image: CGNPC)
 

The first fuel assembly was loaded into the reactor of the new CPR-1000 unit on 21 April after state approval for the operation to begin, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) announced. A total of 157 fuel assemblies will be loaded into the reactor core in an operation expected to take five days to complete. The unit is scheduled to begin commercial operation by the end of 2010.

 

The main structural work on Phase II of the Ling Ao plant started in December 2005. Phase II consists of two 1080 MWe Chinese-design CPR-1000 reactors, based on earlier Areva models. In accordance with the national objectives of "self-reliance in design, manufacturing, construction and operation", the project management, engineering, equipment manufacture and surveillance, construction and technical services are undertaken by the local Chinese organizations with the equipment localization rate exceeding 50% for unit 1 and 70% for unit 2, respectively. Unit 2 of Ling Ao Phase II is due to begin operating in 2011.

 

Ling Ao Phase I was constructed adjacent to the two standard three-loop French pressurized water reactors (PWRs) at Daya Bay, which began operating in February and May 1994. The Ling Ao Phase I reactors are virtually replicas of those at Daya Bay. Construction started in May 1997 and Ling Ao 1 entered commercial operation in May 2002, while Ling Ao 2 began commercial operation in January 2003. The two Ling Ao reactors use French technology supplied by Framatome, now Areva, but with 30% localisation. They are now designated CPR-1000.

 

Daya Bay and LingAo together comprise the 'Daya Bay nuclear power base' under the common management of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Co (DNMC), part of CGNPC. Most of the output from the reactors at Daya Bay and Ling Ao is transmitted to Hong Kong.

 

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News