China has approved the construction of eight new nuclear reactors at four sites, including three pairs of Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors and two Guohe One (CAP1400) reactors, according to decisions made at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang on July 31.
The approved projects include Hualong One reactors at the Jinqimen, Taipingling and Zhuanghe sites, as well as two Guohe One reactors at the Laiyang site.
The Phase II units, Units 3 and 4, at China National Nuclear Corporation’s Jinqimen plant in Zhejiang Province, and the Phase III units, Units 5 and 6, at China General Nuclear’s Taipingling plant in Guangdong Province, have been designated as demonstration projects for Hualong One 2.0.
Hualong One 2.0 is described as an advanced pressurised water reactor technology that combines third-generation and advanced technologies. It was developed through independent innovation and overall collaboration, based on feedback from the construction and operation of Hualong One reactors.
CNNC said 10 Hualong One units are currently in commercial operation in China and overseas, while another 37 units have been approved for construction.
CNNC said its subsidiaries, CNNC Datang Zhuanghe Nuclear Power Co Ltd and CNNC (Xiangshan) Nuclear Power Co Ltd, are the project owners of the approved Zhuanghe and Jinqimen projects, respectively. They will be responsible for investment, construction and operational management. The company said preparatory work before the start of construction is progressing steadily and in an orderly manner at the project sites.
At Laiyang, two larger Guohe One reactors will be built as the initial phase of State Power Investment Corporation’s nuclear power project. The Laiyang plant is planned to eventually house six Guohe One units. Guohe One is an enlarged version of the CAP1000 pressurised water reactor developed from the Westinghouse AP1000.
State Power Investment Corporation is fully responsible for the investment, construction and operation of the Shandong Laiyang Nuclear Power Project. The company said the Laiyang project is the first standardised and batch-built project approved for Guohe One technology.
The State Council said the meeting stressed that nuclear power units must be constructed and operated in line with the highest global safety standards. It also said relevant entities must fulfil their primary responsibilities, while safety supervision across the entire supply chain and all sectors must be strengthened to ensure absolute nuclear power safety.
