Karachi 2 containment building completed
16 April 2020
The concreting of the outer dome of the double-layer containment building at unit 2 of the Karachi nuclear power plant in Pakistan was completed on 10 April, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has announced. The two Chinese-designed Hualong One reactors being built at the site are scheduled for commercial operation in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
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Workers complete the concreting of Karachi 2's containment dome (Image: CNNC)
The pouring of the last layer of concrete for the unit's outer containment dome marks the successful capping of the structure, "laying a solid foundation for subsequent installation and final adjustments, and the reactor's operation", CNNC said. It noted the height of the completed containment building has now reached almost 74 metres.
Karachi 2 and 3 are the first export of China's Hualong One design, with construction of unit 2 beginning in 2015 and unit 3 in 2016. The outer steel dome - measuring about 53m in diameter and over 23m in height, and weighing about 366 tonnes - was placed upon the top of the containment building walls of unit 2 in June 2019. Installation of the reactor internals of Karachi 2 was completed in January 2019, while installation of unit 3's was completed earlier this month.
In addition to the two units under construction at Karachi, six Hualong One units are being built in China. CNNC is constructing two units at its Fuqing plant in Fujian province, while China General Nuclear (CGN) is building two at its Fangchenggang site in Guangxi province. All four units are expected to be connected to the Chinese grid this year. Construction began on a unit at Zhangzhou in Fujian last September and at Taipingling in Guangdong in late December.
CGN proposes to use a UK version of its Hualong One design - the HPR1000 - at a prospective new nuclear power plant in Bradwell, England.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News