Third San'ao unit under construction

The construction of two Hualong Ones as units 3 and 4 of the San'ao plant was among plans for 11 reactors approved by China's State Council in August 2024.

Following an on-site inspection of preparations for the nuclear island of San'ao unit 3, the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) issued a construction permit on 13 November for both units 3 and 4. "We determined that the on-site preparations for the unit have met the conditions for pouring the first batch of concrete for the nuclear island foundation," NNSA said. "Therefore, your company can proceed with the pouring of the first batch of concrete for the unit 3 nuclear island foundation."

On Tuesday morning, the first concrete pour for the nuclear island of unit 3 was completed.

_{(Image: CGN)}

"The total volume of concrete poured this time is approximately 8,820 cubic metres (excluding the volume of reinforcing steel), and it is expected to last 57 hours," said Huang Weide, Deputy General Manager of China General Nuclear (CGN) subsidiary Zhejiang Cangnan Nuclear Power Company. He added that the project team has effectively ensured the high-quality progress of key milestones by continuously optimising the design, improving the construction process, and applying a number of advanced technologies. Currently, innovative processes such as modular retaining walls and post installation in the pit have been successfully applied. In the future, CGN said, 18 advanced construction technologies, including prefabricated corridor construction and prefabricated ventilation duct construction for the nuclear island plant, will be introduced to "accumulate replicable and scalable practical experience" for similar nuclear power projects.

In September 2020, the executive meeting of China's State Council approved the construction of units 1 and 2 as the first phase of the San'ao plant. The NNSA issued a construction permit for the two units on 30 December that year and first concrete for unit 1 was poured the following day. The first concrete for San'ao 2 was poured on 30 December 2021. San'ao 1 and 2 are scheduled to begin supplying electricity in 2026 and 2027, respectively. 

The San'ao plant is the first nuclear power project in China's Yangtze River Delta region to adopt the Hualong One reactor design. A total of six Hualong One units are planned for the San'ao site.

Upon completion, the project will provide over 54 TWh of electricity annually to Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta region, reducing standard coal consumption by over 16 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by over 51 million tonnes annually, CGN noted.

The San'ao project marks the first Chinese nuclear power project involving private capital, with Geely Technology Group taking a 2% stake in the plant. CGN holds 46% of the shares of the project company Cangnan Nuclear Power, with other state-owned enterprises holding the remainder.