Construction of Linglong One began in 2021
The lower part of the reactor internals has been installed at China’s ACP100 small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration project, the China Nuclear Energy Association said.
The “hanging basket assembly” of the internals was lowered into the reactor pressure vessel of the ACP100 – also referred to as the Linglong One – on 29 August.
Reactor internals are structures inside a nuclear reactor’s pressure vessel that support, guide and contain the nuclear fuel assemblies, control rods and coolant flow.
The 125-MW ACP100 has a core module as the main component where the nuclear chain reactor happens.
The core module integrates the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), evaporator and main pumps, and removes the need for a main pipeline.
Construction of Linglong One began in July 2021 on a site next to the existing Changjiang nuclear power station in the island province of Hainan, southern China.
The outer containment dome was lifted into place in February 2024 effectively closing the nuclear plant’s containment building.
Developer China National Nuclear Corporation has said the demonstration plant will verify the design, manufacture, construction and operation of the technology.
Once completed, the ACP100 will be capable of producing 1 billion kWh of electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of 526,000 households. The plant is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.
