Cold tests completed at Karachi 2

05 December 2019

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has announced the completion of cold functional tests at Karachi unit 2 in Pakistan. The two units under construction at the site are the first exports of the Hualong One reactor design.

Marking the completion of cold testing at Karachi 2 (Image: CNNC)

The tests involved checking more than 7200 welds and 800 mechanical connection points within the test boundary for leaks on seven pressure platforms, CNNC said. All indicators met the acceptance criteria. Installation quality and performance meet design requirements, it added. Completion of the cold test on 2 December was overseen by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, CNNC said.

The successful completion of the cold testing means that the main work of the nuclear island installation project of the unit has been completed and the unit has entered the system commissioning stage, CNNC said. Cold testing will be followed by thermal testing, then first fuel loading and finally grid-connected power generation.

Construction of Karachi unit 2 began in 2015 and unit 3 in 2016. The units are scheduled for commercial operation in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In addition to the two units under construction at Karachi, four Hualong One units are being built in China - two units at Fuqing in Fujian province, and two at Fangchenggang in Guangxi. All four units are expected to enter commercial operation in 2019-2020.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News