The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for unit 7 of China’s Tianwan NPP in Jiangsu province has arrived at the construction site one day after four steam generators, three casings of the main circulating pump unit and a bubbler were delivered.
Tianwan NPP is the largest project of economic cooperation between Russia and China. Construction of units 7&8, equipped with VVER-1200 reactors began in May 2021. Units 1-4, with VVER-1000 reactors commissioned between 2007 to 2018 are already in operation. Units 5&6 with Chinese ACPR-1000s were commissioned in 2020 and 2021.
The agreement for construction of Tianwan 7&8 was signed by Russia and China in 1918 and commissioning is scheduled for 2026-2027. Tianwan NPP is owned and operated by the Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, whose shareholders are China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC - 50% stake), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).
The contract for units 7&8 was signed by the Rosatom Engineering Division and CNNC companies. Subsequently executive contracts were also signed including a technical design contract and a general contract under which Rosatom’s Engineering Division is responsible for design and delivery of the nuclear island equipment and documentation and provision of associated services.
The RPV will be installed after all the necessary production and control procedures have been completed, said Alexei Bannik, Vice President for Projects in China and Advanced Projects of JSC Atomstroyexport. To date, installation of the dome of the reactor building has been completed at unit 7. This was preceded by the installation of a polar crane inside the building to assist with installation of large components. The VVER-RPV weighs 334.2 tonnes and is 12 metres long. It will undergo an incoming inspection in accordance with the regulatory requirements before installation. The inspection commission will include representatives of the Chinese customer, specialists from the Engineering Division of Rosatom and the equipment manufacturer Atommash.
Image: Tianwan 7 (courtesy of Rosatom)
