Alstom generator packages for Chinese plants

28 September 2010

Alstom has announced it is to supply equipment and services for six steam turbine-generator packages for three nuclear power plants in China under a contract worth €100 million ($135 million).


China's Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited (DECL) placed the order with Alstom after itself being appointed by the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co (CGNPC) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to design, manufacture and supply steam turbine-generator packages for the Ningde Phase II, Fuqing Phase II and Tianwan Phase III nuclear power stations. The plants, which are all about to start or are in the early stages of construction, each comprise two nuclear units - Chinese-designed CPR-1000s at Ningde and Fuqing, and Russian-designed VVER-1200s at Tianwan.

The six 1000 MWe packages include the Alstom-designed Gigatop four-pole turbogenerator and Arabelle half-speed steam turbine, plus moisture separator reheaters, condensers and low pressure heaters all designed by Alstom. The components are being supplied in partnership with DECL, which has the heavy engineering capacity to produce nuclear components from reactor pressure vessels and steam generators through to turbine generators.

A similar model of turbine-generator package was supplied by Alstom for use in the first CPR-1000, Lingao Phase II unit 1 (also known as Lingao 3), which is now in commercial operation. The Chinese CPR-1000 unit is a pressurised water reactor based on earlier French-designed models built at Daya Bay. The first two units built at Ling Ao used French technology but with 30% localisation, and were redesignated CPR-1000, but Ling Ao 3 is claimed as the first CPR-1000 to be built, with a localisation rate of over 50%.

Increasing the degree of localisation in plant construction and components is a key theme in China's growing nuclear sector. "Our manufacturing and engineering sites in Beijing and Wuhan, coupled with our cooperation with local business partners in China, allow us to play an active role in shaping how China masters its growing energy needs," said Guy Chardon, senior vice president of Alstom Power Thermal Products.

As well as Ling Ao, Alstom-based turbine-generator packages have been provided for Chinese plants including Hongyanhe Phases I and II, Ningde Phase I, Fuqing Phase I and Fangjiashan Phase I as well as China's first Areva-designed EPR under construction at Taishan. Alstom and Dongfang have been industrial partners since the construction of Daya Bay.
 
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News