Fuel loading completed at Hongyanhe 4

Wednesday, 20 January 2016

The loading all 157 fuel assemblies into the core of unit 4 of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in China's Liaoning province has been completed. The reactor is scheduled to start up early this year.

Fuel has been loaded into Hongyanhe 4's core (Image: CGN)

China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a licence on 15 January for fuel to be loaded into the reactor. The process was completed at 11.55am on 18 January, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced.

Construction of Phase I of the Hongyanhe plant, comprising four CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors, began in August 2009. Units 1 and 2 have been in commercial operation since June 2013 and May 2014, respectively. Unit 3 entered commercial operation last August.

Work on the nuclear island at Hongyanhe 4 officially began in August 2009. The dome of its reactor building was successfully lowered into place in September 2011. The unit is expected to achieve first criticality in the coming weeks.

Construction of Phase II of the Hongyanhe plant - units 5 and 6 - started in March and July 2015, respectively. These units are scheduled to begin operating in 2019 and 2020.

According to CGN, once all six units are in operation, the Hongyanhe plant will generate around 45 billion kWh of electricity annually, avoiding the need to burn some 15 million tonnes of coal for power generation and the resulting emissions of some 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The Hongyanhe plant is owned and operated by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Co, a joint venture between CGN and China Power Investment Corp, each holding a 45% stake, with the Dalian Municipal Construction Investment Co holding the remaining 10%.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News