Assembly of Lufeng 1 containment vessel starts

Tuesday, 15 April 2025

The bottom head - measuring nearly 40 metres in diameter, 11.5 metres in height and weighing more than 800 tonnes - was hoisted into place on 9 April using a 3,200-tonne crawler crane. It is comprised of 64 arc-shaped steel plates welded together.

CNI22 said that with the installation of the containment vessel bottom head, "the main structure construction of the nuclear island reactor building has been fully launched".

_{(Image: CNI22)}

With the help of cutting-edge 3D video simulation technology, the entire hoisting process had been fully rehearsed in advance. During the simulation process, potential problems were identified and potential risks eliminated. During the installation phase, 3D laser scanning modeling technology was used to accurately locate the bottom head on the containment vessel support structure.

_{(Image: CNI22)}

The steel containment vessel is composed of five modules: the bottom head, three cylinder rings and the top head. 

The first safety-related concrete was poured for the nuclear island of unit 1 at the Lufeng plant in China's Guangdong province on 24 February. It is the third unit to begin construction at the site, which will eventually house six reactors.

_{(Image: CNI22)}

The proposed construction of four 1250 MWe CAP1000 reactors (units 1-4) at the Lufeng site was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission in September 2014. However, the construction of units 1 and 2 did not receive State Council approval until 19 August last year. Approval for units 3 and 4 is still pending. The CAP1000 design is the Chinese version of the Westinghouse AP1000.

In April 2022 the State Council approved construction of two Hualong One units at Lufeng as units 5 and 6. First concrete was poured for unit 5 on 8 September 2022 and that for unit 6 on 26 August 2023.