The reactor internals have been lifted into position at unit 4 of the China’s Haiyang NPP in Shandong province, according to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The process of hoisting the 260-tonne reactor internals took 2 hours and 31 minutes.
Reactor internals are the major structures within the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) which support the core, maintain fuel alignment, direct primary coolant flow, provide radiation shields for the reactor vessel, and guide in-core instrumentation. The 281-tonne RPV was installed in the reactor building in November 2024.
The Haiyang NPP hosts two AP1000 reactors (units 1&2), which entered commercial operation in 2018 and 2019, with two CAP1000 reactors (units 3&4) – the Chinese version of the Westinghouse AP1000 – under construction.
Construction of Haiyang 4 began in April 2023 and first concrete was poured for the nuclear island of Haiyang 3 in July 2022. This marked the official start of construction of the first of two CAP1000 pressurised water reactors planned as Phase II at the site. The planned construction period is 56 months, with the two units scheduled to be fully operational in 2027.
See also: China approves 10 new reactors
