The pressure reactor vessel has been installed at unit 2 of China’s Lianjiang NPP in Guangdong province – one of two CAP-1000 reactors planned for the first phase of the plant. State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) said this marked the start of the equipment installation phase for both units of the first phase of the project.
Construction of the first two 1,250 MW CAP1000 reactors – the Chinese adaptation of the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor – at the Lianjiang site was approved by the State Council (Government) of China in September 2022. Excavation work for the units began the same month. First concrete for unit 1 was poured in September 2023, and for unit 2 in April 2025. The reactor vessel for unit 1 was installed in February 2025 with operation planned for 2028.
When all six units of CAP1000 are completed, annual electricity generation will be about 70.2 TWh, reducing standard coal consumption by more than 20m tonnes and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 52m tonnes, sulphur dioxide by about 171,000 tonnes and nitrogen oxides by about 149,000 tonnes.
SPIC reports that the Lianjiang plant – the first coastal nuclear power project developed and built by SPIC in Guangdong province – will be the first nuclear power project in China to introduce circulating sea water secondary cooling technology, as well as the world’s first ultra-large cooling tower.
