Fourth Yangjiang unit gets its dome

10 June 2014

The dome has been installed on the containment building of unit 4 at the Yangjiang nuclear power plant in China's Guangdong province. The milestone marks the end of major civil engineering works at the unit.

Yangjiang 4 dome installation 460 (CGN)
Civil construction of the first four units at Yangjiang is now complete (Image: CGN)

The operation to raise the dome from the ground and place it on top of the containment building began at 2.26pm yesterday. Within 75 minutes, the dome - measuring 37 metres in diameter and 11 metres in height and weighing almost 170 tonnes - had been successfully located in position. Plant constructor China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation said this was achieved six days ahead of schedule.

Six units are planned for the Yangjiang site by China General Nuclear (CGN). The first four units are 1080 MWe CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors, with units 5 and 6 being ACPR-1000s. Unit 1 entered commercial operation in March, while unit 2 is expected to start up later this year. Equipment installation is underway at unit 3 while civil construction works continue at units 5 and 6.

All six reactors should be in operation by 2018, producing a grand total of around 6100 MWe.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News