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China Completes and Commissions Fourth Qinshan Unit

China’s state-owned China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC) on Monday announced it had fully completed and commissioned the fourth unit of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Phase II expansion nearly 60 days ahead of schedule.  The domestically engineered unit is China’s 15th operating nuclear power reactor.

Qinshan Phase II in Qinshan Town, Haiyan County, Zhejiang, already houses three operating CNP-600 reactors, put into operation in 2002, 2004, and 2010. Built by CNNC, the 650-MW CNP-600 unit is an indigenously designed pressurized water reactor with more than 70% of reactor components sourced locally. Construction of Unit 4 began in 2007.

According to CNNP, there are now seven reactors in total at the Qinshan nuclear power base (one reactor at Phase 1, and two others at Phase III). The base has a total capacity of 4.32 GW. The successful construction and operation of Phase II not only allowed CNNC to accumulate valuable experience in research and design, project management, construction and installation, and equipment management, but it also allowed China to train a larger number of nuclear personnel.

More than 25 reactors are under construction in mainland China, with more about to start soon. China expects to increase its nuclear capacity from the current 11.8 GW to 60 GW by 2020, then 200 GW by 2030, and 400 GW by 2050.

Sources: POWERnews, POWER, CNNC

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