Scott P. Arroyo .jpg?ext=.jpg)
April 11, 2022
The steel reactor pit was installed for the ACP100 Multipurpose Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Demonstration Project at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in the Chinese island province of Hainan.
The reactor pit is hoisted into the containment building (Image: CNNC)
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the component – weighing around 4.85 tonnes – was installed on April 7 in a 40-minute operation. The steel pit was designed and manufactured by CNNC subsidiaries, Beijing Nuclear Engineering Design Institute and China Nuclear Engineering Design Institute.
Construction of the 125 MWe multi-purpose pressurized water reactor (PWR) – also called Linglong One – officially started on July 13, 2021 following final approval for its construction by China’s National Development and Reform Commission in early June.
.jpg)
The reactor pit in position in the containment building (Image: CNNC)
CNNC announced that the lower part of the containment shell – about 15 meters high and weighing about 450 tons – was placed on the bottom of the ship on February 26, 46 days ahead of schedule.
When completed, the Changjiang ACP100 reactor will be capable of producing 1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, enough to meet the needs of 526,000 homes. The reactor is designed for electricity generation, heating, steam generation or seawater desalination.
CNNC announced in July 2019 the launch of a project to build an ACP100 reactor in Changjiang. The site already houses two CNP600 REPs in operation, while construction of the first of two Hualong One units began in March last year. Both units are expected to enter commercial operation by the end of 2026.
In development since 2010, the preliminary design of the ACP100 integrated PWR was completed in 2014. The main components of its primary cooling circuit are installed in the reactor vessel. In 2016, the design became the first SMR to pass a safety review by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The preliminary safety analysis report for a single-unit demonstration plant in Changjiang was approved in April 2020.
The Changjiang project involves a joint venture of three main companies: CNNC subsidiary China National Nuclear Power as owner and operator; the Nuclear Power Institute of China as the designer of the reactor; and China Nuclear Power Engineering Group being responsible for the construction of the plant. The construction time is estimated at 58 months. For the demonstration plant, the reactor vessel is supplied by Shanghai Boiler Works Limited, the steam generators by a subsidiary of CNNC and the other internal reactor components by Dongfang Electric Corporation.
Research and writing by World Nuclear News
