Lianjiang simulator ready for delivery

Simulators are a vital piece of equipment for training plant operators, both at the start of their careers and for their continuing training.

The simulator for Phase I (units 1 and 2) of the Lianjiang nuclear power plant project is the first CAP1000 reactor type full-scope simulator to adopt State Power Investment Corporation's (SPIC's) proprietary virtual NuCON simulation system. Developed entirely by SPIC's technical units and built according to the latest 2021 simulator construction standards, the project team adopted a highly integrated and collaborative model. 

"The owner, design institute, instrumentation and control (ADC) team, and simulator team worked closely together to solve two major challenges during the full-scope simulator development process: mismatch between design data provision and ADC progress," SPIC said. "Through technological innovation, the use of advanced productivity tools, including the integrated digital design and manufacturing (EB) tool and EB conversion tool, ensured data consistency and high quality between the simulator and the unit's ADC. The construction of a private cloud-based simulation system improved the efficiency of parallel simulator testing, significantly shortened the testing cycle, and reduced testing deviations, ultimately resulting in the delivery of the FCD+26 full-scope simulator, setting a new industry benchmark."

On 28 November, a factory acceptance meeting for the simulator was held at SPIC Automation. In accordance with the contract and testing outline requirements, all 214 test procedures were completed with a 100% pass rate. SPIC noted the deviations of Class 1 and Class 2 were cleared to zero, meeting the factory acceptance conditions and requirements.

"The successful convening of the factory acceptance meeting for the full-scope simulator of the Lianjiang Phase I project marks the imminent entry of the full-scope simulator of the Lianjiang Nuclear Power Phase I project into the on-site acceptance testing and delivery stage; it also signifies that through the implementation of the Lianjiang project, the group has built a high-level simulator management and development technology team with complete independent capabilities, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent construction of simulators for the group's CAP series reactor units," SPIC said.

_{The Lianjiang Phase I construction site (Image: SPIC)}

The first phase of the Lianjiang nuclear power plant project - the first coastal nuclear power project developed and constructed by SPIC in Guangdong - will comprise two CAP1000 units. The site is eventually expected to house six such reactors. It is the first nuclear power plant in China to adopt seawater secondary circulation cooling technology, and is the first to develop and use a super-large cooling tower.

The construction of the first two 1250 MWe CAP1000 reactors - the Chinese version of the Westinghouse AP1000 - at the Lianjiang site was approved by China's State Council in September 2022. Excavation works for the units began in the same month. The first safety-related concrete for the nuclear island of unit 1 was poured in September 2023 and that of unit 2 in April last year. Lianjiang unit 1 is expected to be completed and put into operation in 2028.