Construction of CGNPC's $10.2 Billion Yangjiang Nuclear Power Project Progresses Smoothly

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Following the official kickoff on December 16, 2008, construction of the Yangjiang nuclear power project, the largest nuclear power project in China, has been progressing smoothly in southern China's Guangdong province. The majority of the civil work construction is complete, according to China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC) (Shenzhen).

So far, concrete placement for three layers of the foundation for the Reactor 1 powerhouse has been completed and is currently curing. The foundation of the reactor powerhouse will consist of five layers, says Lisheng Chen, Director of the Civil Work Construction Division of the project department. With the exception of the reactor powerhouse, other workshops such as the electric workshop, fuel workshop and nuclear auxiliary workshop for Nuclear Island 1 are all under construction.

As the largest nuclear power project to receive approval at one time in China, the Yangjiang nuclear power project will help stimulate domestic demand in addition to supplying energy and optimizing the energy structure. The project will be furnished with six 1,000-megawatt nuclear power units based on CPR1000, an improved Chinese pressurized water reactor technology. The construction period for units 1 and 2 will be 56 months, while units 3, 4, 5 and 6 will take 54 months to construct. Total investment of the project will be about $10.2 billion. According to the schedule, the first unit of the project will begin operation in 2013, and all units will begin operation in 2017. Upon completion, the annual power output of the project will reach 45 billion kilowatt-hours.

Large investments, as well as a long industrial chain with high relevance to nuclear power construction, will obviously promote the development of related industries such as equipment-manufacture in China and will greatly promote the development of the local economy. As reported, over 80% of equipment in the Yangjiang nuclear power project will be manufactured in China. The localization rate for units 1 and 2 will reach 75%. Units 3 and 4 will consist of 85% of Chinese-manufactured materials, while units 5 and 6 will contain 90%. The comprehensive localization rate of the project is expected to reach 83%. CGNPC has signed contracts with Dongfang Electric Corporation (Chengdu, Sichuan) and Shanghai Electric Corporation (Shanghai) for the supply of the main nuclear island equipment (including pressurized vessels, steam generators and main pumps), turbine-generating units, and a digital control system. Manufacture of this equipment is currently progressing as scheduled. Since the official kickoff of pre-stage preparations for the project in 2003, total expenditure of the project has reached $580 million.

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