Fuel loading at Fuqing 1

Thursday, 5 June 2014

The loading of fuel assemblies into the reactor core of unit 1 at the Fuqing plant in China's Fujian province is underway in preparation for startup.

Workers place a fuel assembly within Fuqing 1's reactor core (Image: CNNC)

The first fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor on 31 May, the day after approval had been given by the National Nuclear Safety Administration.

A total of 157 fuel assemblies will be loaded into the CPR-1000, a process expected to take seven days to complete.

Hot testing of Fuqing 1's nuclear island was successfully completed on 5 March. These tests aimed to simulate the temperatures and pressures which the reactor's systems will be subjected to during normal operation. This important phase ensured coolant circuits and nuclear safety systems are functioning properly before fuel was loaded.

Construction of Fuqing 1 started in November 2008. Unit 2, construction of which began in June 2009, is expected to start up in September.

China National Nuclear Corporation's (CNNC's) Fuqing plant in Fujian province will eventually house six Chinese-designed pressurized water reactors. It is the company's first plant based on the CPR-1000 design. Ground was broken for Fuqing unit 3 and 4 in June 2009. Those reactors should begin operation in mid-2015 and mid-2016, respectively.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News