First Fangjiashan unit starts supplying power

Unit 1 of the Fangjiashan plant in China's Zhejiang province has been connected to the electricity grid, becoming China's 22nd operating power reactor. It is expected to enter commercial operation by the end of the year.

Unit 1 of the Fangjiashan plant in China's Zhejiang province has been connected to the electricity grid, becoming China's 22nd operating power reactor. It is expected to enter commercial operation by the end of the year.

Guests and the media watch on as Fangjiashan 1 starts supplying electricity to the grid (Image CNNC)

The 1080 MWe CPR-1000 reactor was successfully connected to the grid at 9.12pm on 4 November, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.

The Fangjiashan project - near the existing Qinshan plant - comprises two CPR-1000 reactors. First concrete for unit 1 at the Fangjiashan plant was poured in December 2008. The first fuel assembly was loaded into the unit's core on 1 September and it achieved first criticality on 21 October. It becomes CNNC's eleventh operating power reactor.

Various tests - including load testing and transient tests - will now be carried out before the reactor reaches full power. Additional approvals needs to be obtained from relevant government authorities before the unit officially enters commercial operation, expected next month.

Fangjiashan unit 2, first concrete for which was poured in July 2009, has entered the commissioning phase, CNNC said. The reactor is expected to startup in October 2015.

The project is 72% owned by CNNC, with the remainder held by Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group Co Ltd. Built by China Nuclear Power Engineering Company, the Fangjiashan plant is said to have an equipment localization rate of some 80%.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News