29 Jun (NucNet): Unit 1 of the two-unit Taishan nuclear power station in China was connected to the grid at 17:59 local time today, becoming the world’s first EPR to achieve grid connection and power generation, China General Nuclear International (CGN) and EDF Group have announced.
Taishan nuclear power station, in Guangdong province, southern China, is the largest joint Chinese and French infrastructure project in the world. CGN Group has a 70% share in the project and France’s state-controlled EDF Group 30%.
CGN said construction of Unit 1 began in 2009, followed by Unit 2 in 2010. The two units are the third and fourth EPR units under construction globally. The first two are Olkiluoto-3 in Finland and Flamanville-3 in France. Initial construction began at a fifth and sixth EPR at Hinkley Point C in England in 2017.
CGN said in a statement today that Taishan-1 will now undergo a number of further tests. Once these are completed the unit will go through an operational assessment at full power before entering commercial operation, expected to be later this year.
The EPR design adopted for Taishan was developed by Framatome and is a Generation III nuclear unit. CGN said the technology “fully absorbs” the accumulated experience and technical improvements made to the operation of PWR nuclear power plants over the past 40 years.
The same EPR technology will be used for the Hinkley Point C project, of which CGN owns 35%, and also for the planned Sizewell C.
CGN is the biggest owner and operator of nuclear power stations in China and the world’s largest builder of nuclear reactors.
The company has 20 nuclear units in commercial operation in China, with a total capacity of 21.47 GW, or 62% of China’s installed nuclear power capacity. It has eight units under construction with a capacity of 10.27 GW, accounting for 44% of China’s nuclear new-build projects and 17% of all new-build globally.
CGN is a majority shareholder in Bradwell Power Generation Company, a joint venture with EDF which is planning to build the UK version of the HPR1000 plant, also known as the Hualong One, at Bradwell B.
The reference plant for Bradwell B is the HPR1000 reactor under construction at Fangchenggang, in Guangxi Province, China.
Earlier this month the Sanmen-1 Generation III+ Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor unit in eastern China reached first criticality, becoming the world’s first AP1000 to attain a chain reaction. According to Westinghouse, will be the world’s first to begin commercial operation.
