Cold testing has been completed at unit 6 of China's Tianwan nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.
Cold functional tests are intended to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit and components including pressure vessels, pipelines and valves of both the nuclear and conventional islands. The tests will also clean the main circulation pipes.
Tianwan 5&6 are both 1080MWe Chinese-designed ACPR1000 reactors. First concrete was poured for Tianwan 5 in December 2015 and for unit 6 in September 2016. Both units are scheduled to begin commercial operation by the end of 2021.
China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a 40-year operating licence for Tianwan 5 in August, fuel loading followed and the reactor entered commercial operation in September. Tianwan 5 is seen as a Generation II+ design and a precursor to Generation III designs. The localisation rate for Tianwan 5&6 now exceeds 95%, CNNC said.
The first four units at the Tianwan site are Russian-supplied Gidropress VVER-1000 units. Units 7&8 will also be supplied by Russia under a general contract signed in 2019. Tianwan 7&8 will be equipped with Generation 3+ VVER-1200 reactors. Construction of unit 7 is expected to begin in 2020.
Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation is owner and operator of the Tianwan plant. The company is a joint venture between CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).
Photo: Cold testing has been completed at Tianwan 6 in China (Photo: CNNC)
