Chinese nuclear construction continues apace
.jpg "Yangjiang 2 dome lifting (CNECC)")
The reactor building dome of unit 2 at the Yangjiang nuclear power plant in China was recently installed, 16 days ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, the second ring of the containment vessel of unit 2 at the Haiyang plant has also been lifted into place.
The reactor building dome of unit 2 at the Yangjiang nuclear power plant in China was recently installed, 16 days ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, the second ring of the containment vessel of unit 2 at the Haiyang plant has also been lifted into place.
On the morning of 29 April, the dome - with a diameter of 37 metres, a height of 11 metres and weighing 156 tonnes - was carefully lifted by crane and placed on top of the containment vessel walls of Yangjiang unit 2. The entire operation took about 80 minutes.
.jpg "Yangjiang 2 dome lifting (CNECC)") |
| The dome is lowered on to the reactor building of Yangjiang unit 2 (Image: CNECC) |
Plant constructor China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corp (CNECC) said that the successful installation of the dome means that the project to build Yangjiang unit 2 now enters its next phase, when heavy reactor system components are installed within the building.
The Yangjiang plant will eventually host six domestically engineered CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors, generating around 1080 MWe each. It will be China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corp's (CGNPC's) second nuclear power plant after Daya Bay, also in Guangdong province. Construction of the first two units started in December 2008 for commercial operation in 2013. The second pair of units will follow closely, then the final two, with the last being completed in 2017.
Hoisting at Haiyang
The second steel ring of the containment vessel of unit 2 at the Haiyang nuclear power plant in eastern China's Shandong province has also been lifted into place.
On 28 April, in an operation taking one hour and 51 minutes, the second ring of the Westinghouse AP1000 was lifted by crane and placed upon the first steel ring, which was installed in late March.
.jpg "Haiyang 2 CV2 lifting (CNECC)") |
| The second ring of the containment building of Haiyang unit 2 is lowered into position (Image: CNECC) |
The containment vessel ring was the second of six. When completed, this airtight structure will house all the reactor system's primary circuit components including the reactor vessel, main coolant pumps and steam generators. It will be surrounded by a steel-concrete-steel sandwich construction outer structure.
Phase I of the Haiyang plant, comprising two AP1000 units, was approved by the State Council on 23 September 2009. The following day, the National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a permit for the construction of the two reactors, and first concrete was poured within days. Haiyang 1 and 2 are expected to begin operating in May 2014 and March 2015 respectively.
The Haiyang site will eventually have six large reactors. In March 2009, the National Development and Reform Commission approved preliminary works for units 3 and 4, also to be AP1000 units. Construction of those units is expected to start soon.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
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