The loading of fuel into the core of unit 4 of China’s Fuqing NPP in Fujian province was completed on 19 June.
China National Nuclear Corporation said loading the 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor began on 13 June. Fuqing 4 will now begin preparations for first criticality, CNNC said.
Construction of the 1087MWe Fuqing 4, a domestic Generation II CPR-1000 pressurised water reactor unit, began in November 2012. Hot testing was completed in May. There are six units at the Fuqing site, three of which are with three now in commercial operation and three under construction.
Fuqing 1 began commercial operation in November 2014, Fuqing 2 in October 2015 and Fuqing 3 inOctober 2016. Fuqing 4 is expected to begin operating in 2017, CNNC said in a statement. These four are 1,087MWe Chinese-designed CPR1000 units but Fuqing 5 and 6 will have Hualong One reactors. These are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020.
